People with AD have a defect in their skin and it won't stay moist. It is especially bad in winter when the heat is on in the house and the humidity drops. Other things that dry the skin are too much bathing without proper moisturizing. Irritants are any of the substances outside the body that can cause burning, redness, itching or dryness of the skin. Avoid irritating substances.
Emotional stress comes from many situations.
People with AD often react to stress by having red flushing and itching. Heat and sweating. Most people with atopic dermatitis notice that when they get hot, they itch. They have a type of prickly heat that doesn't occur just in humid summertime but any time they sweat. It can happen from exercise, from too many warm bedclothes or rapid changes in temperature from cold to warm.