Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue throughout the body. It can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain, making it one of the most complex and unpredictable conditions a person can live with. Symptoms often fluctuate between flares and periods of remission, and can include extreme fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes (including the characteristic butterfly rash across the cheeks and nose), and sensitivity to sunlight. Because lupus can mimic so many other conditions, it is often referred to as "the great imitator" and can take years to diagnose.
Living with lupus involves not just managing physical symptoms but also navigating the emotional toll of an unpredictable, often invisible illness. Anxiety, depression, and grief around loss of function are common experiences. Therapy can offer a vital space to process the ongoing adjustment to a body that behaves unexpectedly — supporting people in developing coping strategies, maintaining identity beyond illness, and finding meaning despite significant challenge.
Lisnevska, N., & Lisnevska, V. (2022). Psychosocial aspects of systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus, 31(4), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/09612033221076014
