Some people confess that they worry about everything. Others are more selective, fretting about specific things, but not everything. Some people claim that they have always been worriers and label themselves as “born worriers.” Other people can point to a specific life event which started them down the path of anxiety. RELATED: Is It Worry or General Anxiety Disorder?

Input From Those Who’ve Lived With RA for a Long Time

Being diagnosed with a chronic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is an example of a life event that can trigger worry. Rebecca L., of Little River, South Carolina, says, “I was pretty fearless before RA. It has made me cautious and a worrier. For years, I worried about whether I could continue to support my family, or have any quality of life at all,” according to the 63-year-old. “Then I had no quality of life, and worried that it would get even worse, and that I would not last until retirement. I pulled the plug on my working life prematurely and abruptly, and I worry about the financial consequences of having done that even though we are okay so far.” RELATED: Does the Autoimmune Protocol Diet Help Rheumatoid Arthritis? “I’d say the change in my mental outlook happened with the first symptoms, because they were so intense and life changing, and the diagnosis didn’t help at all,” Rebecca explains. “I’d already watched my mother trying to cope with lupus all her adult life, and knew what my future could be like. Nothing seems to relieve the worrying.” On the flip side, Karen Palmer, 58, of Mason, Ohio, notes, “I was a worrier before RA so that hasn’t changed much. Seriously, I worry about my finances as I grow older but not the disease. The RA, at this point, is what it is.” “RA gave me more to worry about and more time to do it,” says Ann B., 57, of Northbridge, Massachusetts, adding, “Always was a worrier, I’m afraid.” RELATED: Invisible Disability Awareness Week Is in October Yet some people experience relief and a sense of peace once they’ve been diagnosed. Nicki Hickman, who is 67 years old and lives in Columbia, Tennessee, says, “After my diagnosis I was able to breathe. I finally got an answer as to what was happening and why I felt so bad. I didn’t worry about what would or wouldn’t happen to me. At least I knew I wasn’t crazy. The only worry I had was about how it would affect my family. I think they worried more about me while I focused my energy on taking care of them.”

8 Common Concerns and Fears for People Living With RA

1. Mortality

One of the first concerns a person newly diagnosed with RA has: whether the disease will cut their life short. It may be the first question Googled, “Is rheumatoid arthritis fatal or terminal?” In fact, RA is a chronic illness, meaning it will be with you throughout your lifetime. RA itself is not considered a fatal or terminal disease, but it is important to realize that complications related to rheumatoid arthritis, such as infections and an increased risk of heart disease, may impact life expectancy.

2. Pain and Physical Impact of RA

RA is a chronic pain condition. Managing the pain, as well as disease progression, is imperative. Physical limitations associated with joint pain, inflammation, cartilage damage, and joint deformity can impact your ability to continue working, play recreational sports, walk the dog, roughhouse with the kids and grandkids, as well as meet your responsibilities at home. People with RA worry about what will change and when. While it is certainly normal to anticipate what might change because of RA, some people actually exhibit a negativity bias (thinking the worst) and catastrophize about pain (the tendency to exaggerate pain, make it worse than it is, feel helpless and doomed). Pain catastrophizing actually can impact disease activity or the chance of achieving remission. Your attitude and approach to pain matters. RELATED: Rheumatoid Arthritis Changes You

3. Impact on Relationships and Social Life

RA does not only affect the person with the disease, it impacts their spouse, children, friends, and coworkers. RA can affect intimacy, your ability to share household responsibilities, your ability to socialize with the same frequency you did before RA, and more. So, once again, people with RA worry about what will change and when, and how they can hold on to life as they knew it before RA. RELATED: 8 Things About Rheumatoid Arthritis That Are Difficult to Explain or Understand

4. Impact on Long-Range Goals and Plans

If you had plans to go to college, get married, have children, or thrive in a career before being diagnosed, it will naturally be worrisome if you will be able to achieve all of your goals after being diagnosed with RA. You must think about your long-range goals and decide whether they are still doable and realistic with RA. RELATED: After a Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis, Young People Face Difficult Decisions

5. Financial Impact of Living With RA

RA can be an expensive condition. Medical expenses, the cost of prescription drugs, and potential loss of income related to RA can provoke immediate worry and concern. There are also long-range financial concerns, such as being able to afford long-term nursing care, should that become necessary. It is best to understand your current health insurance plan, plan for the future, and explore where and when financial assistance may be an option.

6. Side Effects From Treatments

The list of potential side effects associated with certain drugs can be daunting. Most RA medication is linked to potential side effects. That’s the reality. You can either worry about this or hope you never experience side effects. What you must do, however, is be aware of symptoms associated with the side effects and notify your doctor if it occurs. Don’t ignore it. Obtain medical advice and help promptly.

7. Medication or Other Treatments Not Working

People with RA may worry about not having an adequate response to medication or treatments. Inadequate treatment response can affect disease progression, disease activity, and cause an increase in RA symptoms. The good news is that there are several drugs to try and treatment regimens to follow. The real challenge? Not becoming frustrated while you determine the best treatment course for you. RELATED: The Link Between Rheumatoid Arthritis, Depression, Anxiety, and Bipolar Disorder Is Powerful

8. COVID-19 Added Considerably to Our Worries

In 2020, we were faced with a pandemic. I am sure you didn’t need reminding, since we are still dealing with COVID-19 and its variants to this day. No one needed or wanted a new health burden, especially those who had existing conditions. But, suddenly we were talking about restrictions, shutdowns, quarantines, masks, vaccines, ICU bed shortages, and staying alive. People with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and those who are treated with immunosuppressant medications had to pay closer attention to warnings and precautions than anyone. The bottom line is the same though: Consult your doctor. Get the best medical advice and follow it! Do everything necessary to stay healthy. Taking action should help tame your worries. Another avenue to follow is consulting the recommendations coming out of the American College of Rheumatology. The ACR has compiled articles and information about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, stopping and restarting current immunosuppressants, and other essential guidance for rheumatology patients related to COVID-19. RELATED: Getting a Third Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine When You Have Rheumatoid Arthritis

While a certain amount of nervousness is not unexpected with RA, especially initially, you must learn how to overcome excessive worrying. You must learn how to manage worrying in the same vein you learned to manage the disease itself.

Learn all that you can about RA. Educate yourself and those closest to you.Acquire or locate high-quality resources about RA because you will need to look things up periodically and need to stay current with RA news and research. The learning never stops; it is ongoing.Accept that you have rheumatoid arthritis. Acceptance, I believe, is the key to living well with arthritis and not being overcome with apprehension.Create backup plans if you think RA might interfere with plans you had in place. Be adaptable and flexible.Surround yourself with positivity. This may include positive books, people, prayer, or anything else that will bolster your inner strength while you deal with the challenges of RA. A healthy lifestyle (healthy diet, regular exercise) is part of a positive approach as well.

RELATED: Can Mindfulness Meditation Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain? There are a few overused, trite phrases, like “go with the flow” and “it is what it is,” that really do seem to apply to living well with RA. Worrying, while feeling anxious and stressed, won’t help you cope. Be smart in your approach to managing RA and you will find that your worries start to melt away.