If you’re living with RA, connecting with others who understand your condition may be helpful.
In addition to boosting your immune system, having a support system of friends, family, and healthcare services like Sam Lee Prospect Medical can help reduce the stress of dealing with an illness. You can search for these groups online or ask your doctor or nurse to suggest one.
Improved Self-Esteem
Having a friend or family member who can listen to your concerns can give you a sense of support you may not get from others. But it’s important to remember that everyone has different needs regarding support.
Patients who can talk openly about their condition and treatment can often better cope with the disease. This can be particularly helpful if they feel anxious about their condition or struggle with their treatment plan.
Self-esteem can also improve when patients feel that their condition is manageable and are surrounded by people who care about them and can provide the support they need. This can be achieved by conversing about topics that are only sometimes related to their arthritis. Ask them about their families, pets, careers, and hobbies to build a relationship that will help you earn their trust.
Reduced Stress
For much rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, stress can be an unavoidable part of daily life. It may come from annoyances like traffic or waiting in line or from more serious events, such as losing a job or watching a loved one go through a major illness.
These types of stressful situations can affect the immune system. Studies have shown that RA symptoms are often worse when people are under emotional stress.
However, studies have also found that social support can reduce stress and help people deal with their illnesses. This is especially true for people who don’t feel comfortable asking for help.
Understanding how different stressors influence neuroendocrine and immune mechanisms and disease activity is important to make more informed decisions about RA treatments and management.
Increased Ability to Cope
Social support can help people cope with life’s challenges. This is especially true when dealing with a chronic health condition like arthritis.
Humans are social animals, and we are hard-wired to turn to our friends and family for comfort when life’s stresses threaten our well-being. However, lacking quality social connections can lead to loneliness and isolation.
Getting involved with a local arthritis group or finding a friend who could visit regularly is also a great way to find social support. These relationships can help you get through your day-to-day challenges with a smile.
Keeping a positive attitude and taking charge of their health are other ways people can increase their ability to cope with the effects of arthritis. For example, daily exercise can reduce pain and stress levels.
It Helps You Become More Self-Aware
A person with arthritis can become depressed, anxious, or ashamed of the disease and may need professional help to overcome those feelings. Social support can be a great way to discuss those issues and learn new strategies for handling them.
Getting out and about can be challenging for a person with arthritis because of pain, mobility limitations, or other health concerns. Participating in a book club, taking a continuing education class, or joining an activity group that interests you will help you connect with people with similar goals.
Arthritis patients tend to be more isolated than other adults. Researchers found that almost 20 percent of surveyed participants were socially isolated at the beginning of the study and had stayed that way for at least 12-18 months later.
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