How RA Affects Mood
Yulanda shares how living with RA can affect her mood, and anybody who knows what it's like to have an autoimmune disease will be able to relate to this.
There are times when you're in a very low mood, and there are times when you're in a very happy mood. So I just want to kind of touch on a few of those particular moods.
Irritability
Irritability is quite a big one for me. When I'm in pain, it's tough for me to focus, I find that I get a bit of a brain fog I can't think straight and it's because I'm in pain.
When you're in pain, it's harder for you to concentrate and one of the things I do to alleviate this is to take time out for myself by going to bed earlier or watching a movie.
Frustration
When you're in a flare, physical tasks that you can usually do when you're not in a flare become so much more challenging.
One of the ways I deal with this is just to stop, take a deep breath and just be patient with myself.
Sadness
We all experience sadness, but someone with RA who's in a frequent amount of pain can feel sad a lot of the time.
There are times when I do feel a bit sorry for myself and feel quite down. What I do to get myself out of that pit is to remember how loved I am, and how supported I am by my family and friends.
Happiness
You might not associate happiness with someone who's suffering from a chronic disease, but you feel a sense of relief once you come out of your flare.
It's like you feel so blessed and happy to be kind of almost back to normal. It feels almost like an accomplishment like you've successfully accomplished a challenge.
I think happiness is a great one to end on because it's a positive feeling and it's a very positive space to be in.
