1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Rheumatoid Arthritis / Joint Conditions

Solving Difficult Issues - Coping Strategies - Find Positive Solutions

Arthritis can impose significant limitations, challenges, and problems into daily life. Learn more about developing effective coping strategies, better communication, and positive solutions to these issues.
Has Arthritis Knocked Your Life Out of Balance?
Daily life can consume you. Chronic arthritis compounds the stress. Balancing your life is more challenging with a chronic disease. You have to consciously focus on balancing your life.
Striking a Balance With Arthritis
Striking a balance takes a conscious effort. Stress and problems that are tied to living with a chronic disease like arthritis may even make matters worse. Focus on striking a balance in your life.
Readers Respond: Shaking Hands
Shaking hands is supposed to be a greeting, an acknowledgement, and an extension of yourself. When you meet someone or thank someone, it's customary to shake hands. But what if you have arthritic hands? How do you handle the problem since shaking hands and arthritis are not a good mix?
Why Do Arthritis Patients Hate to Ask for Help?
Sometimes people with arthritis need help -- but you will be surprised to learn how many people hate to ask for help. Why won't they inquire? What is it that holds them back?
I Hate Having Arthritis!
We asked arthritis patients to share their feelings about living with arthritis and more specifically, why they hate arthritis. Their answers were introspective and offer insight into life with a disease that can be quite difficult and can interfere with aspects of daily living some people take for granted.
10 Ways to Improve Your Life With Arthritis
People living with arthritis are often dismayed by how much the disease steals from their lives. What modifications can you make to your lifestyle to make living with arthritis easier? What actions can you take to gain and maintain control over the limitations imposed by arthritis?
Are You Feeling Overwhelmed?
Trying to survive in a hectic world can make an arthritis patient feel overwhelmed. For those times when a patient feels overwhelmed there are solutions. They may not seem easy but they need to become your mantra, if you expect to tame the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Family And Friends: Do They Understand Your Arthritis?
Family and friends are impacted by arthritis as well as the person diagnosed with it. Do family and friends really understand? What more can family and friends do to enhance their understanding of arthritis?
The 8 Best Things To Do For Arthritis
Eight positive actions to help you better cope with arthritis.
Problem Solving - Declare Your Independence
Problem solving is an essential skill since arthritis can interfere immeasurably with performing daily activities. Remaining independent helps preserve confidence and self-esteem. Regain autonomy and control over your life with arthritis. Hone in on your problem solving skills.
I Have Arthritis: When Is The Right Time To Tell Others?
When is it the right time to tell that you have arthritis?
A Positive Approach To Arthritis
Positive attributes are necessary to manage life with chronic arthritis.
Arthritis Can Cause Awkward Situations
Arthritis can lead to awkward situations. You can overcome the awkwardness by knowing just what to say.
How To Best Raise Children When You Have Arthritis
Living with arthritis can add extra difficulties and challenges to parenting. Here are some positive strategies for effective parenting when you live with arthritis or a related disease.
Dad Has RA. Thoughts From His Sons.
It is the desire of every parent to do the best they can for their children. All parents feel that way. Imagine the thought process of a parent who lives with chronic arthritis, the pain and limitations, and eventual disability. How are children impacted when a parent has rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? What changes from the perspective of the kids? I asked my husband Rick's sons, my stepsons.
Pregnancy And Arthritis
A woman who has arthritis must carefully assess her capabilities and limitations as she chooses the path she wishes to take concerning motherhood.
Jealous Of Able-Bodied People?
It's normal for people with chronic, disabling arthritis to be slightly envious of other people who do not face the same challenges and limitations.
In Sickness And In Health
When chronic illness strikes difficulties develop which are so complex that statistics show nearly 85% of marriages eventually fail.
Love, Sex, And Arthritis
Feeling good about yourself and feeling close to the one you love is very important. Rising above feelings of being sick and tired to feelings of being loved, valued, and comforted is vital.
Mercy Killing or Senseless Suicide?
03/10/1998, Dr. Jack Kevorkian helped a rheumatoid arthritis sufferer and a fibromyalgia sufferer end their lives.
The Correlation Of Life Expectancy And Arthritis
Life expectancy is shorter among patients with rheumatoid arthritis than in the general population.
Arthritis And Sexuality
Sex is a pleasurable expression of love and intimacy. The pain and limitations from chronic arthritis can interfere but the complications can be overcome.
The Impact Of Chronic Arthritis On Family
Many changes occur in the life of someone who must live with a chronic condition such as arthritis. It not only affects the person who has the disease, but also significantly impacts the people around them.
RA Shortens Life Expectancy
New study from Mayo Clinic researchers in Minnesota reveals that people with rheumatoid arthritis have not shown the increased life expectancy over the past four decades as the general population in America.  
How Arthritis Complicates Sexuality
Pain, stiffness, limited mobility, and fatigue due to arthritis can make sex a challenge, rather than pure pleasure. Much can be done though to ease the difficulties and bring the joy back into sex.
Book Review: Coping With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Self-help for coping with rheumatoid arthritis, while the book serves as your companion to help guide you through difficulties.
Arthritis: Fearing The Future
A confirmed diagnosis of arthritis can initially provoke feelings of uncertainty and fear in the newly-diagnosed patient.
The Soothing Power Of Snuggling
People with arthritis want to be touched but their pain may make them fear it. Touching gives a person the sense of being cared about and cared for.
What's Behind The Stare?
The physical changes brought about by arthritis can lead to some awkward situations. The awkwardness can draw the stare of another person.  What is that person who is staring really thinking.
The Veil Of Isolation
The physical and emotional pain of arthritis can lead to social isolation.
Why Am I So Angry?
When arthritis interferes with achievement and desires the resulting frustration can mount into anger.
The Power Of Personality
"Coping is personality in action under stress". Certain personality dispositions possess more effective coping skills.
The Many Emotions Of Chronic Arthritis
The physical aspects of chronic arthritis are manifested in pain and symptoms. The gamut of emotions which coincides with the physical problems are equally important.
Arthritis Affects Daily Living Activities
Arthritis can interfere with daily living activities. Physical limitations make daily living activities more difficult for people with arthritis.
Denial vs. Acceptance
Acceptance of a chronic disease does not usually come quickly after the initial diagnosis. Learning how to adapt can be a long process for some people.
Explore Rheumatoid Arthritis / Joint Conditions
About.com Special Features

8 Ways to Cut Drug Costs

Learn how to save money on medications with these recommendations. More >

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Rheumatoid Arthritis / Joint Conditions
  4. Coping Strategies / Sex

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.