Psoriatic Arthritis Health Center

The Emotional Toll of Psoriatic Arthritis

Why Is Social Support Important With Psoriatic Arthritis? continued...

With increased social support, you can alleviate the emotional distress of living with psoriatic arthritis and gain health benefits such as the following:

• Greater sense of control. While you may have no control over your psoriatic arthritis, having a group of supportive family members and friends is something you can control.
• Greater resilience. Through positive feedback and support from friends and family, you can learn to buffer life's interruptions with effective coping skills instead of letting the moment's crisis overwhelm you.
• Longevity. In study after study, the findings are the same: people with many social contacts -- a spouse, a close-knit family, a network of friends, religious or other group affiliations -- lived longer and had better health. Those who had few ties with other people died at rates two to five times higher than those with good social ties.

If your psoriatic arthritis has led to high anxiety, isolation, increased stress, or depression, talk to your doctor or a licensed mental health counselor. Seeking help early on can help you avoid more serious problems associated with other mood disorders and chronic illnesses.