subject: How Fear And Anxiety Play A Role- In Rheumatoid Arthritis [print this page] How Fear And Anxiety Play A Role- In Rheumatoid Arthritis
By: Irene Fowler-SharpeWhen a patient is first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis they can have many fears ranging in intensity from mildto severe. It is understandable for you to have many fears related to your condition. Some fears could include: WillI be crippled? Will I end up in a wheelchair? Will my friends still accept me? Will I be capable of dealing withthe pain? These are all legitimate questions and realistic fears.Following are some strategies to help you cope with your fears and anxiety.The first thing to help you cope is to try to list all the things that you are afraid of. If you know what your fears are, then it will be a lot easier to alleviate them.Working one at a time on your fears and using a strategy thatwill erase them; you will begin to feel better. The more you try to imagine your fear, the less it will bother you. A good idea would be to check with your local library and see what information you can find on "systematicdesensitization".Another coping strategy to try would be to try to change your way of thinking and use some relaxation techniques.If you aren't able to pinpoint your fears then it's going to be difficult to resolve them.Fear of being in a WheelchairMost people who are diagnosed with RA have a fear of being crippled someday and eventually ending up in awheelchair. Although your activities could be limited from time to time, it is unlikely that you will ever end up in a wheelchair on account of RA. Your joints would have to be severely damaged for this to happen. With all the treatments that are now available for RA patients; this is a fear we should not have to worry about.Fear of PainPain is upleasant, and nobody really likes it; but you will have to learn to accept that pain is going to be with you for at least part of the time. Relalize that medication will reduce the intensity; and that the "cycle" of pain will ease up, and won't last forever.Fear of Other People's ReactionsThere is always that fear that others may not be able to adjust to your limitations. The fear of being "left out" ofthe activities that you were accustomed to doing with friends and relatives. Just remember that your best friends will accept you under any condition; and if some have a problem accepting you as you are; then that is their loss.Fear of Losing your Job and IncomeIt is a fact of life that everyone has financial obligations. You may be afraid of losing your job or that you won't be able to continue working at it due to your present restrictions. The best thing here is to talk withother people who have RA, and are unable to work. That way you will likely come up with some ideas that will lessen this fear.You have to recognize your fears before you can do anything about modifying them.For most of your fears; they are usually unfounded. By changing the way you are thinking and having a positive outlook you will feel more in control. When this happens; you will notice that your fears will begin to diminish. That does not mean that you will becompletely without fear; but as you work on the fears that bother you, you will feel more capable of coping withthem.For more information on arthritis and to get a copy of my Free Report, please visit:http://www.removingjointpain.com http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-fear-and-anxiety-play-a-role-in-rheumatoid-arthritis-4475108.html
