Don't Judge Me for My Good Days: Psoriatic-arthritis.com

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  (This was posted Feb 16, 2024 - but I thought it was such a great topic that I wanted to repost it.) Please don't judge me based on my good days. Looks can be deceiving for someone with a chronic illness. What looks like a good day might actually be a good day. Or it might be a good few hours. Or it could be someone doing their best to function through the pain. You don't honestly know what someone is going through, especially when they have lived with the pain for a long time. You'd be surprised how much pain people can learn to smile through. Read the full article at psoriatic-arthritis.com
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8 Guilts of Arthritis

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I carry a lot of guilt on my shoulders.

1.) I slow down the pace of life a lot for others. I feel like I ruin a lot for others.

2.) There are times I can't get up and do things so I often feel like a burden.

3.) I know the emotional toll arthritis has caused for my family and friends. I hate that I put them through that.

4.) I might have arthritis, but I know it's not as severe as some others who I've met. I've never needed surgery or braces or anything. I feel the immense guilt of not being able to relate and that I'm not strong enough because I'm complaining.

5.) I just take Enbrel and it's actually working.... Why did I find something? Why me? Why not someone who has it harder than me?

6.) I haven't  had a flare since I was eight. And I know people who are in and out of them.

7.) When people ask me how the arthritis is or how my medicines are working, I tend to bring down the mood. Even though it might be good news, people seem to always act depressed when I say that I still have arthritis and I still have to take medicine.

8.) I feel guilt when I admit I'm in pain. That's because even though I know that my joints are throbbing (like they are now), I know that it could be so much worse.

But of course, I don't let this bring me down too much since I know that I did nothing too cause my arthritis and I know it's not my fault.

Comments

  1. AriannaFebruary 23, 2013 at 5:28 PM

    I know the arthritis guilt too well. It's one of the things I struggle with the most, but I'm slowly learning that I am ENOUGH :)

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    Replies
    1. ElizabethFebruary 24, 2013 at 12:02 PM

      :) I'm learning too, but it's such a slow learning process

      Delete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2013 at 11:05 PM

    Easier said then done, however we must eliminate these types of thoughts since they add stress to the body. Many autoimmune illnesses are caused by stress which can make the body more acidic. I actually have started meditating using the mindfulness stress reduction method. - vizgirl

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    Replies
    1. ElizabethFebruary 27, 2013 at 3:11 PM

      Unfortunately, I know the effects of stress on the disease too well. I don't think stress causes autoimmune disease but I've seen it first hand trigger it and make it much worse. Meditation does sound like it would help a great deal though.

      Delete

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