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Why A Positive Attitude Helps In Coping With Arthritis Pain

Why A Positive Attitude Helps In Coping With Arthritis Pain Part 1
Cathy Posner

Why A Positive Attitude Helps In Coping With Arthritis Pain Part 1

Think Positive To Relieve Arthritis Pain.

My name is Cathy Posner and I live in Wauchope which is on
the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. I was
born in 1957 and in late 2004 was told that the aches in my
joints were Rheumatoid Arthritis.

My husband, Ray has a very positive approach to everything
and I guess that has rubbed off on me, so rather than sit
back and let things progress I decided to see what I could
do for myself.

Let me give you an example of Rays positive attitude. In
September 2003 he had to have open heart surgery to replace
his aortic valve. We live on 160 acres so before he went
into hospital he slashed a walking track so that he could
regularly exercise when he came out of hospital.

Not only that he left the tractor set up for slashing. Four
weeks after surgery, even though he was not allowed to lift
anything heavier that a 2 liter bottle of milk (about 4
pints) he got the OK to slash the paddocks as long as he did
big easy turns at the end of each run. (Actually I think he
secretly enjoyed having me open the car door for him and
carry the groceries.)

So, as you can see, in his mind there was no way that he
wasnt going to get back to a normal life as quickly as
possible, but within the guidelines of what the Doctors told
him.

Now when you live with someone like that its hard not to
take a positive approach.

How can having a positive attitude help you in your fight
against the pain and difficulties arthritis can cause?

I know some of you already reading this have a positive
approach so please bear with me.

As I was saying Rays positive attitude helped him in his
recovery. I dont know how much pain he was in but I can
imagine it was considerable. After all you dont have your
sternum sawn in half and rejoined without pain.

In fact for some time he had to clutch a folded towel to his
chest whenever he coughed or went to the bathroom but he
never complained once.

He just got on with life within the restraints set by the
Doctors and in fact even started a new business while he was
recovering.

OK you might ask how does this relate to me? I know pain
can be an all consuming, overpowering feeling but you need
to get your mind off it.

If you sit back and wallow in self-pity your days and nights
will drag, you will become depressed (or even more
depressed) and your pain feeds upon itself your mind
magnifies the intensity of your pain and you feel even
worse.

If this describes you and my comments offend you then I am
sorry but hopefully what I am about to say will be a wake
up call for you.

What are the benefits of having a positive attitude? Well to
start with your mind can be trained to focus on things other
that your pain. When it does, your pain is shut out creating
a sense of feeling better. This feeling feeds on itself in
the same way that if you allow yourself to focus on your
pain, it seems to get worse.

Can you learn to have a positive attitude? Of course you
can. If you are still breathing you have the ability to
learn. And really it is not so much learning but altering
the state of your mind.

All you need is the desire to help yourself, to get relief
from your pain and overcome obstacles that your arthritis
creates for you.

May I suggest some things you can do?

How is your lifestyle? Do you look after yourself? Your
wellbeing is very important to how you feel and
influences how you think.

Diet and Exercise are important to your overall health. If
you are not eating correctly and doing some exercise within
your limits, you are not helping yourself in your fight to get
arthritis pain relief.

To read more about diet, foods that can help, foods to
avoid and to get some great tips on getting started with
exercise simply click on the link at the end of this article
and then follow the links on the home page.

I recommend you read a book on Positive Thinking. There
are some excellent publications available and most will give
you the tools you need.

Sit down and relax. Think back to when you didnt have the
inconvenience and pain of arthritis. Pick a point in time
when you were doing something that you enjoyed.

Now focus on that thing. Experience it again. Feel the
emotion associated with it. Live it. Breathe it. Be there
in your mind be that person that you were then.

Do this 2 or 3 times a day for 5 to 10 minutes at a time.
Tip: if you sit down and find you go to sleep, try standing
up.

This technique helps to reprogram your subconscious to think
pain free and you should find that your pain decreases or
may actually go away.

You can also use this anytime your pain starts to get the
better of you. Just go back to that time when you were pain
free and allow your mind to again experience that feeling.

This really works. But dont just do it once you must do
it every day, without fail and you will soon see the
benefits.

Cathy Posner

http://www.get-arthritis-pain-relief.com/index1

About The Author

Cathy Posner is an arthritis sufferer and lives in Wauchope, New South Wales, Australia. Her website is as a result of personal research and where arthritis sufferers can find up-to-date advice and information on arthritis pain relief.
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Shift Work Sleep Disorder

Many people that work during the night suffer from Shift Work Sleep Disorder, also known as SWSD. This disorder affects about one quarter of the approximately 20 million people who do shift work. People affected by shift work sleep disorder are employed in many types of jobs. These include large numbers of workers in industries such as transportation, manufacturing, mining, power, health care, and emergency services including police and firefighters and EMTs. Many of these industries operate around the clock and many various shift schedules exist.

Working a shift job forces your body to function outside if it natural circadian rhythm. Their circadian rhythms never become fully adjusted to their hours. No matter how long a person works at night, when they are greeted by the morning sunlight a signal is sent to their brain saying it is time to wake up. A person suffering from this sleep disorder lives in a state of constant circadian disruption.

There are several coping strategies for people with shift work sleep disorder. The most important thing to remember when coping with the challenges of shift work is recognizing the importance of sleep and making it a priority.

Sleeping during the daytime can be very difficult for some people. Besides going against the body’s natural circadian rhythm, there are also the sunlight and the everyday life of the rest of the world, most of which is awake. Many people with this sleep disorder move their bedroom to an isolated place in the house and try to make the room as quiet and dark as possible.

It is best to try to avoid as much of the morning sunlight as possible if you plan to go to sleep right after your night shift. Wear sunglasses on the way home and try not to stop for gas or groceries. The more sunlight you are exposed to, the more likely you are going to have a difficult time falling asleep.

Another coping technique is to develop a sleep strategy. It is very important to set a specific time to sleep. Many people that suffer from shift work sleep disorder find it is best to follow the same sleep routine even on the days they are off from work. It is essential that family and friends know not to bother you during your sleep time unless it is an emergency. Generally, shift workers are chronically sleep deprived. Scheduling naps at specific times can be a great help in dealing with the sleep disorder that accompanies shift work.

People with this sleep disorder should limit the amount of caffeine during the later part of their shift. Some people establish a caffeine cutoff time, after that they drink juice or water.

The use of sleeping pills for shift workers can develop into a dependency on them. Taking sleeping pills on a daily basis can lead to other health problems.

Not everyone is able to tolerate working during the night. The constant battle with this sleep disorder may cause some people to find a different job.

How to Seek Arthritis Relief When Shopping

Do you suffer from arthritis? If so, just functioning from day-to-day may seem difficult. Walking to your car, let alone climbing inside and driving, may seem out of the question. Not only is it too hard, but it may be very painful. So, what should you do? It may be easier to sit on the couch at home, but dont let arthritis control you or your life. We all need to shop, especially for groceries. So, what can you do to ease the pain and discomfort?

Create a grocery list by aisle. Those with arthritis of the toes, knees, and hips, find it difficult and painful to walk. To prevent wasted steps, create a grocery list based on aisles. This prevents you from retracing your steps and walking more. Some grocery stores have guides available for shoppers. Or, the next time you are there, record the aisle numbers and sample of items in the aisle. Use as your guide.

Always use a shopping cart. Regardless of which joints are affected by arthritis, opt for a shopping cart. Baskets are convenient for when you only need to buy a few items, but they can be difficult and painful to grip. If you suffer from arthritis of the toes, knees, and hips, a shopping cart provides you with walking support. Also, dont be afraid to use the motorized shopping carts. Many stores have them available free of charge.

Use a reacher or ask for help. You will experience the most problems at the grocery store. Items are scattered on shelves both high and low. If you find it difficult to bend or reach, ask for help or purchase an extended reacher. They are available for sale at most drug stores and medical stores. These reachers can also help those with difficulty gripping items. If you need help, ask a store associated or a passerby.

Take a break when you need to. It is no secret that both grocery stores and supermarkets are large. Walking from the car to the store may seem like a long journey, but just wait into you get inside. It is not a race to finish quickly; take a break whenever you start to experience pain or difficulty moving. In the grocery store, visit the caf or move your cart to the side of an aisle and lean on it for support. Shopping malls have benches scattered throughout; take a seat and rest.

Opt for paper or reusable bags at the grocery store. Those suffering from arthritis of the fingers, experience pain when gripping and carrying plastic shopping bags. Many dread trips to the grocery store. Instead, opt for paper or reusable bags. Most reusable bags have long handlings; you can sling them over your shoulder. To carry paper bags, use both arms, not just your fingers and hands. Also, do not be afraid to ask a store associate to load your bags into the car or ask a neighbor for help.

As a last resort, hire someone to shop for you. In fact, you may not even need to pay. See if a close friend or family member will pickup a few items for you at the grocery store. Many stores now enable you to shop right from your home. With these stores, you browse or search through their product list, add items to your virtual shopping card, make payment, and wait. A store employee will deliver your goods to your home! You may be charged a small delivery fee, but it may be well worth the added cost.

Although it may be easier to use a grocery store delivery service or have someone else stop for you, try. By implementing a few of the above mentioned steps, shopping for gifts, groceries, and clothes does not have to be difficult. Just remember to take it slow, rely on available tools, and dont be afraid to ask for help.

PPPPP

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