The Importance of Family: How Arthritis Affects All Members
Family is a very important thing for many people. When one member in the family is diagnosed with arthritis, it affects all of the other member as well. Unfortunately, like many diseases and illnesses, arthritis can be the point of stress for many marriages and parent-child relationships, as well as relationships between siblings. There are many ways in which patients and their families can counteract the negatives of this disease, but it takes effort and dedication to work through the many issues of this disease.
First, since arthritis is a condition that causes difficulty in movement, the other members of the family will probably need to pick up more of the load of housework and other responsibilities. This can be offensive for the person who has arthritis if he or she is used to doing these things for themselves, so the subject must be approached with extreme sensitivity. At the same time, those who have arthritis must realize that their family members are simply trying to help ease the pain of arthritis. It is important to always maintain communication between family members so that nobody’s feelings can hurt and nobody feels resentment for having to do more work than another member of the family.
One way in which to be sure that communication is not a problem is to take part in family counseling or a family arthritis support group. It is best to join such organizations before you have a problem in order to prevent the breakdown of the family. Support groups are especially important for marriages to continue to succeed and for children who are dealing with the alienation they may feel due to their arthritic condition.
Families can also greatly benefit from education. When you know as much about your condition as you can, you can also understand what this means within a family context. Understanding is the most important part of dealing with a member of your family that is diagnosed with arthritis. Situations can get heated easily, but don’t let arthritis and the pressures of the family responsibilities hurt your relationships. Although the person you love may be slightly changed, it is important to continue to work on your family ties to be sure that they do not dissolve. As a spouse, help your disabled wife or husband continue to live life to the fullest. As a parent, be understanding toward your child’s special emotional and physical needs as well as mindful to your other children’s reactions to this family issue. Remember, arthritis does not need to dictate the way in which you live your life. With dedication to the love of family, you can continue to work together well even while you deal with a difficult arthritic condition.
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