Fear — What Comes Next?
It's a question often asked, but with no definite answer. The course of arthritis varies from patient to patient. Following diagnostic tests and an initial evaluation by a rheumatologist, a course of treatment will be recommended. How well your arthritis will be controlled with the course of treatment cannot be predicted. Your doctor will schedule periodic appointments so your progress can be evaluated, and changes to your course of treatment will be made if necessary. It's all very scary and uncertain, especially at first.
You can take actions, outlined below, which will help temper the fear and anxiety that comes with not knowing the answer to these uncertainties:
How you will cope
How fast the disease will progress
If you will become disabled
If you can continue to work
If you can care for yourself and your family
What will change in day-to-day life
Alert
It's not uncommon for a newly diagnosed arthritis patient who has yet to learn about the disease to fear their mortality: The fear of dying crops up sooner rather than later. Learn about your disease and the adverse effects of treatments, as well as complications that can result. Become informed before jumping to conclusions about dying.
Finding Needed Support
Talk to your doctor openly about your fears. It may also help to find a support group for people with arthritis. Sharing your fears with people who are going through the same thing can be helpful because just feeling understood can relieve stress. If your fears are overwhelming and beyond the help which a support group can offer, don't hesitate to ask for a consultation with a psychologist. There are psychologists who specialize in helping people with chronic illnesses or other life-changing events.
Positive Actions
It's very hard to control fear and live with uncertainty. To cover up fear, some people unleash other emotions. Given that it's normal to be afraid and feel anxious about the future, it's unhealthy to be consumed by the fear. Give yourself the time it takes to adjust to your new diagnosis and grieve for your life before arthritis. It can't be done in a day, but you can set goals for yourself and work within your support system to accept the limitations which chronic arthritis imposes, realize you are doing all you can do with the guidance of medical professionals, never stop learning about the disease and treatment options, and focus on today by wrapping your mind around things you can do today.
The stress associated with fear can actually cause physical responses that will worsen your symptoms, including increased pain, muscle tension, fatigue, and more. Fear contributes to the stress-pain-stress cycle, which must be broken. It may seem like a job in itself, but each negative emotion should be replaced by a positive action such as patience, commitment, compliance, or perseverance. Build on the positive aspects. That is not to say negative feelings are not legitimate. For your better health, begin and end the day with hope — and that's not just self-help rhetoric — it's truly important.
