Explaining RA to family can feel exhausting, especially when it's an invisible illness. Here are some strategies that myRAteam members have found helpful:
- Use an energy analogy — Describe your daily energy as a limited budget. Every task "costs" something, and once it's gone, it's gone
- Use vivid comparisons — One Show Full Answer
Explaining RA to family can feel exhausting, especially when it's an invisible illness. Here are some strategies that myRAteam members have found helpful:
- Use an energy analogy — Describe your daily energy as a limited budget. Every task "costs" something, and once it's gone, it's gone.
- Use vivid comparisons — One myRAteam member describes RA as "smashing your finger with a hammer, but the pain lasts for months."
- Explain the invisible symptoms — Help family understand that even when you look fine, you may be dealing with fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, and poor sleep.
- Talk about flares — Let them know that RA is unpredictable. A good day doesn't mean every day is good.
- Bring them to appointments — Having a doctor explain things directly can make a big difference.
- Use brochures or written resources — One myRAteam member hands out brochures from their rheumatologist's office to avoid repeating themselves.
It's also okay to protect your energy. As one myRAteam member put it, "I explain to those I love, one time! After that, I just concentrate on taking care of myself!"
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