Just for interest I wonder if anyone has ever had any emotional support from any of their medics? For myself no one has ever mentioned this to me as an issue though I get very stressed at times over my deterioration, Covid and I get stressed about being stressed which I think is harmful to me. A deathly silence over my feelings prevails!
Just to add that I have RA, AS, bronchiectasis, Reynauds and a leaking heart valve. Any calming methods people have found that work would be of great help.
I would have a chat with your GP. They can refer you to IAPTS who run a ‘course’ for people with chronic illness; as well as one to one support. I think Mental Health support should be offered to everyone as soon as they get a diagnosis. It is a lot to take on board…
Look at MIND and Rethink also to see if there are other services in your area (just google). Also, if you’ve been isolated, see what art classes etc are going on in your area..
*My GP Practice has a ‘social prescribing service’ which can link you in to community support/ events.
Thank you, definitely helpful.
take a look at NRAS resources. There’s one on emotional well-being I think. You could also call their helpline.
my GP does mental health checks so they are out there plus if feeling low/sad calling NRAS for support helps too x
I self referred to IAPts although your gp should be able to do it for you. I felt more comfortable doing it myself. I phoned the local contact number and then a week later a counsellor phoned me for more info. Then I was sent my first appointment locally. I accessed 1 to 1 counselling sessions ( face to face) for 10/12 weeks . It made a huge difference to me. I was anxious about everything and depressed and that made my health suffer. Couselling was a real lifeline.
There are on line resources like The White Wall and Headspace which you can look at too .
All the best, 🙂
I find listening to relaxing music like chill out music, classical music etc help me get to sleep. I often listen to music on youtube. I also enjoy doing outdoor activities such as walking, cycling. Being out in nature really helps me destress especially when away from people, work and stressful situations as I can just be myself and at peace with the world. If your pain and inflammation are bad, maybe going for a drive out in the countryside might help relieve stress and anxiety.
Also doing exercises such as physio exercises will help relieve tension in your muscles. I follow Austin Goh The Natural Method on youtube. He has really good short videos on relieving pain in joints. Also Bob and Brad physical therapists are good as well.
Not pushing yourself too hard and saying no to people are a must because if you do too much then you`ll pay the price. Let your body and pain levels decide what you can do. I went to a funeral recently that I should have turned down as I felt obliged to go but didn`t want to. I don`t make the same mistake twice. Take care.
very good advice, the only thing I would add is have a look at diet and take vitamins zinc magnesium and of course vitamin D is essential for our immune system to work. Especially if you are concerned about covid.
drinking plenty of clean water ( not tap ) helps. Filtered or even better use shungite to clean your drinking water.
using vegetable oil to cook with has not only been linked to severe health issues but depression as well. Sunflower oil is OK as is coconut oil, Olive oil as long as its not heated other than that use butter instead of margarine. So much of what we've been taught over the years is down to cleaver marketing .
we are mostly social by nature, if one has a disability it's harder to go out and interact with people, add to tthat the terrible way covid has been handled it's no wonder so many are suffering from stress / depression. This is why it's so important to make the effort to socialise. Not just talk to friend's and family on the phone but be with them, spend time with them.
Zipola. No emotional help. It is like my doctor is prescribing candy. Her voice is so cheery as she lists off the side effects of the medications. For stress maybe try this breathing exercise. : Breath in for 4, hold for 4, breath out for 4, hold for 4. You can change the numbers. I find this quite effective if I can get calm enough to do it. Sounds like friends have given you good information of how to get help. I don’t think we have any programs like that in Canada but now I am going to check!
Yes. My GP referred me to counselling with no cost to me. I was glad of the support
Never in my 51 year RA history!
Nor me after 42 years 😁🤭
Can I join the club too? 😉 I've also never ever been asked by anyone how I'm coping "mentally' in 40 years. I was a juvenile diagnosis, as I know many of you were too. 🙄😊
good to see such positive advice here. I have had little support but been told stress will worsen my symptoms. At one point however there was a junior doctor helping the advice line at my hospital and he suggested meditation and regular walks as a good start. I have followed this and it has helped . Good
I just want to second social prescribing. someone at your GP surgery will know what is available. But also have a look at the other hospital trusts in your area. For instance our community hospital trust does a Living Well 2 be Well programme and have a Recovery College. But not everyone knows about them unfortunately. I was in a meeting with the acute trust (they are the ones here that do rheumatology) and they had no idea that there was support in the community. But where do people need support? Not in the big hospitals but in the community!
So ask around, find what support is out there, then make sure you go back to the rheumatology department and make sure they know about it so they can bring it to the attention of all their patients.
Have you mentioned to your medical that you are struggling at times?
If we feel we need support we do have to ask….it’s just like when we feel a drug isn’t working…..if we don’t say that we think we need a change of meds, our doctors think everything is fine.In the last couple of years many support facilities have been provided.
Do have a word with somebody you feel you can talk to on your medical team, to find the sort of help you need.
Never had any support or suggestions about the emotional, side to RA condition from medical personnel, not their remit, and too busy to look at that.
I became unwell with depression and I couldn't reduce with my usual ways so did go to my GP and was prescribed anti depressants which I've taken in 2 sessions. They helped not on them at present.
Also got very unwell dealing with awful pain & other pressures were " doing my head in" I was able to self refer to a mental health organisation local to me. I had a 30 minute weekly call with a very kind lass, who listened & decided to go down better pain management route. I found it helpful she listened & took my issues seriously, offering solutions.
As others have said a GP appt is a good place to start, though finding "listening " support is difficult , high demands for this especially post Covid. Look up any local organisations to you that can offer help too.
Hope you get there 🙂
Hope you
no. Funnily I had to see a private physio yesterday. He asked me that question. Wanted to know if I'd had counselling when I was diagnosed with RA. Mind you the waiting list if horrendous. My bro in law had sepsis from a ruptured appendix, had to be out into an induced coma for a while and had 5 operations and he was supposed to have counselling as soon as he came out after 4 months in hospital. He's still waiting 13 months later!
I started mindfulness a few months ago and find it really useful.
run half hour free sessions every Wednesday evening.
If you put 'Expert Patient Progamme' into a search engine like Google, you should be able to find courses close to you. they are free and help people to manage long term illnesses. I found a course very helpful and went on to become a tutor for them for several years (too disabled now to manage that).
Hi Shonkie, I did back in 1995 when I was first diagnosed as I was really distressed I couldn’t do my sports and hill walking and felt bereft. The rheumy said I was grieving for the person I was pre RA. She said she’d like to talk more but hadn’t enough time to do so, so she organised my GP to arrange 6 hourly sessions with a psychologist at my GP surgery.
He was excellent and helped me get the stress and frustration out of my system. We had a lot of fun too but he helped me getting rid of someone in my head who had been stressing me to do too much (ex employer wanting me to work 12 hour days, and who I believed was a main reason I got so run down and why my RA was so horrendous at first.)
Anyhow, who knows if she made it all worse, but to get help from someone impartial is really good as I didn’t want to rant at my lovely partner and he’d done so much supporting me in so many ways. The psychologist taught me not be angry re the mean employer, although he made me do lots of fun (and very helpful) exercises such as drawing her face in marker pen on a large empty box of tissues and kicking it round the surgery room with some force!! 😁 His methods were fun but he was very wise and removed the sadness and anger from me.
Your partner and family etc., can help and listen but a professional counsellor can do so much more. I also felt bad/guilty about getting RA which was daft. He said I was one of the most sensible people he’d met and the ex boss was a really nasty person. Said that seemed to be a trait in my life to tolerate people too much and he helped me to set boundaries. Much needed.
Also, I feel creative outlets such as art help you. I am an artist but you don’t need to be an expert at all to enjoy creative hobbies. Just choose something you love doing. So yes I’d say if you you can see if you can book some sessions talk to someone professionally via the IAPTS and I do hope you can get improvement with your health. Great advice from others here too. Good luck. 💗
my doctor offered me hypnosis when I was diagnosed. I thought he was bonkers but went along with it he was amazing!
nothing in all of the years I have had …RA and Asthma. My friend’s hubby died and even she didnt get any counselling 😢
may I ask what is an ESA therapist and letter? Could you not have a cat without this letter? Sorry if I’m reading this wrong.
Stress with arthritis and life 
RA and Stress?
Stress & Fatigue
Stress and Flares
PIP application form so stressful. 
