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Arthritis and stress management

Arthritis and stress management

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Arthritis and stress management -

For instance, pain feels worse. Along with heightened pain, you also become more vulnerable to infection, heart disease, inactivity, sleep problems, and unhealthy eating habits.

Develop your mind-body connection. Your physical body and its pain can affect your thoughts and emotions. Likewise, your emotions and thoughts change the way your body feels. Many activities can help you bring these parts of your total being into harmony.

Options include meditation , progressive relaxation , deep breathing , and guided imagery. Get moving. Regular exercise is one of the most important things you can do to relieve anxiety, because it boosts feel-good chemicals in your brain.

It also has many direct benefits for arthritis, including strengthening joint-supporting muscles and helping with weight loss. You can combine mind-body connection work with movement through yoga and tai chi. Get started now!

Talk it out. Talking through your troubles and making human connections can work wonders for relieving your stress. Speak openly to a trusted friend.

Join a support group or online community like those available through the Live Yes! A more formal option is to seek counseling with a professional. Psychotherapists use cognitive behavioral therapy to help you change the way you think about situations that may be contributing to your anxiety.

Eat well. Eat nutritious, anti-inflammatory foods based on the Mediterranean diet to make you feel better in the long run. Enjoy simple pleasures. Let yourself enjoy things that bring you peace. Watch a funny movie, paint a picture, stroll through the park, light a fragrant candle, soak in a bubble bath, work in the garden.

Take some time away from your daily stresses and just enjoy the moment. Get a massage. A massage can be both relaxing and therapeutic. You control your diet weight exercise and attitude for example. By becoming as physically and mentally fit as possible you can improve your energy state of mind and your level of stress.

Schedule time for play and become involved in activities that make you laugh. There is almost a magical quality about laughter. No matter how sad your mood, laughing can make the world look brighter. Laughter dissolves tension--you can't be "uptight" and laugh at the same time!

Joke with friends or see a funny movie. You know yourself--do what is fun for you. Get help to cope with constant hard-to-solve problems.

For instance a mental health counselor or therapist may be able to help you work through a serious marital problem or severe depression. He or she might be able to help you find positive ways to express anger if that has become a major concern. Many people spend too much time and energy trying to reform their spouses, children or doctors.

They want to make them different or to have them act in a certain way. When these changes don't happen, people tend to feel frustrated, tense and upset.

No one has the power to change another person. When people change, it's generally because they wanted to do so. Have the courage to be imperfect. Stop trying to be the ideal parent, spouse, child, patient, employee or boss.

No one is perfect! Trying to be perfect is admirable but doing so takes its toll on your time, energy and the way you feel about yourself. Realize that life isn't always fair.

Drugs have side effects, doctors may sometimes be grouchy, and families don't always understand. Try to "roll with the punches. Relaxation is more than just sitting back and being quiet. Relaxation is an active process involving methods that calm your body and mind.

Learning how to relax takes practice, just as learning how to ride a bicycle takes practice. Once you know how it becomes "second nature. Keep in mind that there's no right way to become relaxed.

Whatever works for you is what's important. Listed below are a few suggestions. Try out different methods until you find one or two that you like best. If you need help see a mental health counselor or contact your local Arthritis Foundation chapter. Sometimes simply letting your mind wander or "go on vacation" will help reduce your stress.

Here are a few suggestions. Invent your own! To overcome barriers to relaxation you must really want to learn to relax. Some common "stumbling blocks" to relaxation include these:. Remember that relaxation will help you gain better control of the demands made on you.

If you devote time to relaxation later you'll be able to do more and enjoy yourself more. From time to time, it may seem impossible to stop and relax. You may find yourself in a rut--tense because you're so busy and too busy to relax. If this happens start wherever and whenever you can.

If you're waiting in traffic, take a few deep breaths and let the air out slowly. If you're at work, take a short break in the rest room lounge or snack bar.

Close your eyes breathe deeply and try to forget about everything except your breathing. Notice which muscles are tense--perhaps your neck forehead or shoulders--and relax them.

You may think that a high level of body tension means that you're "in control" and that feeling relaxed seems like a loss of control. Realize that muscle tension drains your energy and can increase your pain. Relaxation actually helps you gain control over your stress and pain.

It takes time and effort to learn a new skill. Therefore, don't give up before you have a chance to reap the benefits! Knowing how to relax can become part of your life. Remember, like any habit, learning to relax takes time to become automatic.

Managing stress can help you have less pain and feel healthier. It can also help you cope with the extra demands made on you by your disease. By following these suggestions you may be able to get stress to work for you instead of against you. Learn to identify those situations you can do something about and those you can't.

Work at reducing the cause of your stress by communicating better and respecting your limits of energy and pain. Simplify your life "look on the bright side and develop and keep a sense of humor.

Prepare for stressful events by getting extra rest. Remember that you can't change others. Keep in mind that no one is perfect.

Seek professional help for serious problems. Practice relaxation methods to overcome the effects of stress that you can't avoid. Engage in hobbies and simple pleasures that give you joy. Finally, remember that managing stress is your job.

With stress under control, it'll be easier to keep your arthritis under control. Some of this material may also be available in an Arthritis Foundation brochure.

If dialing from outside of WA and AK contact the National Helpline: Adapted from the pamphlet originally prepared for the Arthritis Foundation by Beth Ziebell PhD. This material is protected by copyright. PRIVACY TERMS OF USE WEBSITE FEEDBACK.

Read a Reflection of Dr. Hansen's life, career, and influence. Breadcrumb Home Current: Stress and Arthritis. Stress and Arthritis.

What is stress? Stress and arthritis Too much stress can also make it harder for people with arthritis to face the extra problems imposed by their disease.

Reactions to stress Typical stressors Stress is a normal part of life. Stress and chronic disease People with arthritis experience the same kinds of stress as everyone else. Reacting to stress When you are under stress your muscles become tense.

Break the vicious cycle Click to enlarge Break the vicious cycle These physical changes give the body added strength and energy.

Manage stress Signs and symptoms of stress Managing stress begins with learning the signs and symptoms of stress. Make stress work for you The key to managing stress is to get stress to work for you instead of against you. A complete program for managing stress has three parts: Learn how to reduce stress.

Learn how to accept what you can't change. Learn how to overcome the harmful effects of stress. Suggestions for following these guidelines are described in the following pages.

Reduce stress Ways to reduce stress Identify causes of stress What causes you the most worry and concern? Share your thoughts and feelings It's usually helpful to talk to someone about your concerns. Try to avoid depression A condition such as arthritis can bring about feelings of depression.

Here are some tips to help you manage depression: Realize that you are responsible for how you feel. If you are aware that your state of mind is up to you then you are more likely to take an active approach to improving your mood.

Take care of yourself. You're special--so pamper yourself. Try something good to eat take a leisurely bath or buy something nice for yourself. Be a "doer. Get involved in neighborhood or volunteer organizations. Don't forget the joy of giving. Find new activities to replace old ones so you can continue to grow and develop.

Discover new creative outlets such as hobbies skills or interests. Remember that it's all right to cry. A good cry can be a healthy way to relieve tension. Keep in touch with family and friends by phone if you can't get out.

Don't let your arthritis set you apart from others. Try to discover what set off your depression and learn to avoid those events in the future. Be alert for signs of depression that last for more than two weeks.

If you continue to have signs such as eating or sleeping too much or too little, or feeling hopeless, forgetful, restless or more tired than usual tell your doctor. Sometimes this type of depression is caused by a change or an imbalance in the body's chemistry.

Often certain drugs can correct such an imbalance. Simplify your life Look at your activities. Manage time and conserve energy When you usually have pain and limited energy, it's natural to work harder on days you feel well.

Set goals Goals give you something to work for and they give you satisfaction once you achieve them. Avoid drugs and alcohol Realize that drugs and alcohol don't solve life's problems. Seek support and education Most Arthritis Foundation chapters have clubs and support groups.

Try to stay healthy Remember that having arthritis is only one part of your total health picture. Make time for humor and fun Schedule time for play and become involved in activities that make you laugh.

Seek help if you need it Get help to cope with constant hard-to-solve problems. Accept what you can't change Change yourself not others Realize that you can change only yourself not other people. Accept imperfection Have the courage to be imperfect. Relax What is relaxation?

Learning how to relax is one of the most important ways to cope with stress in a positive way. Relaxation techniques To begin with try to set aside time in a quiet place away from people TV radio and other distractions.

Close your eyes. Slowly tense and then relax muscles that feel tense. Begin with your feet and work up to your neck. Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor and your arms at your sides. Breathe in saying to yourself "I am.

then breathe out saying. warm; my feet. are warm; my forehead. is cool; my breathing. is deep and smooth; my heartbeat is. calm and steady; I am.

happy; I feel calm. and at peace. Then close your eyes and watch the image of the flame for a minute or two. Imagine a white cloud floating toward you. It wraps itself around your pain and stress. Then a breeze comes. It blows away the cloud taking your pain and stress with it. Think about a place you have been where you once felt pleasure or comfort.

Imagine it in as much detail as possible how it looks smells sounds and feels. Recapture the positive feelings you had then and keep them in your mind.

Don't make any room for negative thoughts stress or pain.

Stress causes an inflammatory response manage,ent can worsen pain and Maintaining electrolyte balance damage. Dieting myths revealed stress can Herbal remedies for immune system support it hard Arthrtis Arthritis and stress management to focus on your managemeny self-care, which managemdnt absolutely necessary for arthritis stresz. You Herbal remedies for immune system support a very real Artheitis response to stress that can worsen arthritis. For people with an inflammatory form of the disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, stress compounds your discomfort. They give you the drive to get away or fight. But today's stress is less likely to come in the form of something from which you need to flee — such as a tiger — and is more likely insidious stress from financial woes, family changes, relationship issues, or work deadlines. Your body still releases chemicals in response to this modern stress, but repeatedly and steadily. Herbal remedies for immune system support affects as many as 1 sfress 3 people with arthritis, and Gym supplements for joint health about the new coronavirus only makes it worse. Try these xtress strategies mznagement reduce High cholesterol levels and anxiety, and stgess off more pain. The strain of coping with arthritis can amp up stress and anxiety — a condition that affects as many as 1 in 3 people with arthritis — and fears from the new coronavirus threat only make it worse. Stress, in turn, can worsen the symptoms of chronic diseases and contribute to a host of other problems. That reaction can protect you if the enemy is an attacking tiger. Arthritis and stress management

Author: Mezijind

4 thoughts on “Arthritis and stress management

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