Families and arthritis.
Last updated Monday, January 03, 2005
CommunicationHow can a family affected by arthritis learn to communicate better? To cope with the added problems that come with arthritis, it helps
to know how to talk with one another. This section offers tips to help
you communicate.
All families experience stress
when faced with new or challenging events. For most families, the
problems that come with arthritis are stressful. Besides many of the
small changes that must be made, there are also medical bills to pay.
Because of the up-and-down nature of arthritis, there is also
uncertainty and fear of the future. Sometimes wage earners are forced
to work less or may even have to quit their jobs because of disability.
This then involves loss of income, more problems, and possible major
changes in roles. Someone else in the family may have to become the
breadwinner. All of these possible situations can be highly stressful.
To manage these situations in a positive way, it helps to talk
regularly--before tensions and fears build up. If you address issues as
they come up, they are less likely to become bigger problems that are
harder to solve.
Here are some guidelines for talking out problems:
Talk with--rather than to--a person. This means listening and trying
to understand what the person is saying, and not telling a person what
to do. Talking is a two-way street. Most people respond better when
they feel they have gotten their points across. They also respond
better when they are asked rather than told to do something.
Use "I" instead of "you" statements. This means saying "I feel..."
rather than "You make me feel...." Expressing yourself in this way
means you are taking responsibility for your thoughts and feelings. You
are not blaming them on others.
Be an active listener. Try to understand what a person is thinking and feeling, as well as what he or she is saying.
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