Common symptoms

Symptoms vary widely from person to person and often come and go in “flares.” They may include:

• Extreme fatigue
• Joint pain, stiffness, and swelling
• A butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose
• Sensitivity to sunlight
• Fever
• Hair loss
• Mouth sores
• Chest pain when taking a deep breath
• Fingers or toes that turn white or blue in the cold (Raynaud’s phenomenon)

Living with lupus can affect mental health in several ways. The condition itself, its symptoms, medications, and the challenges of managing a chronic illness can all contribute to emotional and cognitive changes.

Some of the most common mental health effects include:

• Depression: People with lupus have a higher risk of depression than the general population. Persistent pain, fatigue, changes in daily functioning, and stress can all contribute.
• Anxiety: Worry about flare-ups, long-term health, work, finances, or relationships can lead to ongoing anxiety.
• Brain fog (“lupus fog”): Many people report difficulty with memory, concentration, finding words, or processing information. This is a recognized symptom, although its exact cause can vary.
• Mood changes: These may result from the illness itself, pain, sleep disruption, or medications such as corticosteroids (for example, prednisone), which can sometimes cause irritability, anxiety, or mood swings.
• Sleep problems: Pain, fatigue, and stress often interfere with sleep, which can worsen mood and cognitive function.