Arthritis Support Groups

I have gone to quit smoking support groups before, as well as a Weight Watchers group, so I know a little bit about what they do. Nonetheless, I wasn't prepared for how profound an experience going to a rheumatoid arthritis support group would be. I had put it off for a long time. You see, I had never been sick before. Suffering from arthritis joint pain sent me into denial. I pretended that nothing was wrong, even after my doctor said that I had rheumatoid arthritis. I tried all of the so-called arthritis remedies that there were, but nothing worked. The prescription medication that I got put on help me a little bit, but in general I was still suffering a lot.

That is why I finally gave in and went to arthritis support groups. When I first got there, I had a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. Although I was suffering the symptoms of arthritis, I was pretending not to be. You see, it was important to me to see myself as strong. I remembered watching my grandmother get old and suffer from arthritis herself. I was determined not to be like that. Going to arthritis support groups almost felt like a confession of weakness. If I went to an arthritis support group, it meant that I had arthritis, and I was not ready to admit to myself that I had arthritis.

Nevertheless, the people in the arthritis support groups were extremely understanding. No one wants arthritis, after all. In the arthritis support groups that I tried, they had seen it all before. They had seen people come in trying to be tough and macho, and they were extremely tolerant even though I was a jerk at times. Soon, I softened up a little bit. Eventually I made a lot of friends there.

Arthritis support groups are great places for networking. People from all walks of life join support groups, and they are at their most vulnerable there. There's something about going to a support group meeting that allows you to open up. Once you are willing to share the secrets of your suffering, you are more likely to be willing to talk about other problems in your life. Going to arthritis support groups has not only made me new friends, it has made me professional contacts as well. Best of all, I have learned a lot of tips about handling my arthritis joint pain. All in all, I am glad that I decided to go.