Learn more about the relationship between stress and eczema and see why stress causes eczema to get worse.
Stress is a part of life that is unavoidable, no matter what age you are. There is good stress, which motivates you while there is also bad stress that, well, stresses you out and can give rise to a host of health problems. For those suffering with eczema, too much stress can signal a flare-up or even many flare-ups in a row if the stress is long term. Stress is defined as, "A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.”
The good news in all of this is that there are ways to "de-stress” your life and by so doing, see fewer eczema outbreaks. First of, consider your day-to-day life. Are there stressors in your life that don’t need to be there? Are there ways that you can remove clutter from your life that won’t affect the whole of it? Think of what is most important and do away with the small, petty things that cause you stress and headaches.
Next, have a good laugh. Yes, laugh out loud. Watch a comedy, read a funny book, listen or tell a joke or describe a hilarious moment to a family member or friend. Laughter is not only a good outlet for stress but it also has a number of health benefits. Laughter activates the immune system, it lower blood pressure, and it triggers the release of the body’s natural painkillers, endorphins. Laughter also, as previously mentioned, reduces stress hormones, helps reduce pain, allows muscles to relax and is very helpful for the breathing process as frequent bouts of laughter empties air from the lungs. 
Find activities to do in your free time that allow you to set aside all of your worries and concerns and cut loose and enjoy yourself! For some people it may be getting together with friends and going to shopping, going to see a movie or browsing at a flea market; for others it might be a game of tennis, squash or an aerobics or yoga class; while still for others it might be an artistic pursuit such as painting, pottery or writing poetry. Even if you just want to relax in an easy chair with a cup of tea and a good book, do it! Finding ways to de-stress your life can help decrease your flare-ups tremendously, not to mention also improving your quality of life.
Keep in mind however that soaking for a long time in the bathtub will only bring more stress to the life of an eczema sufferer. If you find physical activities relaxing make sure to use your common sense. Take breaks, drink water frequently and don’t allow yourself to get too sweaty or overheated. By so doing you defeat your purpose and can trigger an eczema attack.
Finally, keep in mind that no matter what you do you cannot completely escape stress so make peace with the stress you have in your life and always keep it in perspective. Someone once said, "Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s all small stuff.” If you can adopt way of thinking then your stress load should be reduced significantly.

If you suffer from eczema, you may have turned to the internet or asked your doctor about treatment options.  There are many ways to treat eczema, but they aren’t one-time things.  To successfully manage and deal with eczema, you must make important lifestyle changes.  As hard as this sounds, it is key to living your life without constant eczema flare-ups.

What lifestyle changes may need to be made?  Honestly, it all depends on what causes your skin irritation.

A common cause of eczema is certain foods.  Many patients experience an outbreak after eating milk, eggs, wheat, seafood, and peanut butter.  Other foods can be the cause too.  Although the risk of atopic dermatitis is always present, you can significantly reduce the number of outbreaks and flare-ups you have by eliminating certain foods.  Keep a journal to compare what you eat to when you have an outbreak.  If you believe you found a culprit, work on eliminating these foods from your diet.

Here is where the lifestyle change comes in.  Eliminating food from your diet?  That may be okay if your trigger factor is seafood.  Seafood tastes great, but isn’t a necessity.  On the other hand, we all consume milks and eggs and on a regular basis.  There are alternatives, but they taste different and will take some getting used to.  You want to stop eczema outbreaks, but you are also making a lifestyle change.  For that reason, take it slow.  If you think milk is the culprit, don’t automatically eliminate it from your diet if you don’t want.  Instead, slowly start replacing it with the alternatives.

In addition to foods, another cause of eczema flare-ups is exposure to certain airborne allergens.  Some have experienced skin irritation when coming into contact with dust and pet dander.  These too can lead to hard lifestyle changes. What if your parents have a dog?  Of course, you don’t want to avoid seeing them, but discuss your eczema with them.  You can meet outside of their home, avoid direct contact with their dog, and wear covering clothes when visiting.

Another way to successfully treat eczema is to make the switch to all-natural.  Some individuals experience flare-ups after coming into contact with certain chemicals, like those found in scented laundry detergents and beauty products.  Luckily, this switch is more easier to make.  Get your body and skin back to its original state with natural and organic beauty products, foods, and literally anything else you can think of.