Do you ever feel like you have to justify yourself to others because of your RA?

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13/01/2020 at 15:47

Does anybody seem to be justifying themselves to other people.
As rheumatoid is unpredictable, it seems some people don’t understand.

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yikesspikes

07/02/2020 at 17:55

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yikesspikes

Last activity on 29/03/2023 at 15:53

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@Kristine Hi, yes! I was just thinking this. How many times have I heard "But you were fine yesterday, what's the problem today?". It's very hard to make people understand. Do you have any tips on how you explain your illness?

Do you ever feel like you have to justify yourself to others because of your RA? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/other-discussions/living-with-rheumatoid-arthritis/justifying-yourself-to-others-3009 2020-02-07 17:55:27

rheumiroomie

30/03/2020 at 15:21

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rheumiroomie

Last activity on 30/06/2023 at 20:54

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@Kristine @yikesspikes I understand this completely. Because it's one of those "invisible" illnesses people seem to think that it's non-existent or not bad at all! I've lost my patience and I don't justify myself anymore. At this point people will either accept it and me, as RA is a large part of my life, unfortunately, or they won't.

Aideen61

13/04/2020 at 16:50

Aideen61

Last activity on 17/10/2020 at 13:05

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If I can just add something to this..... no one gets Rheumatoid Arthritis until they get it.......same way we can’t know what someone else is dealing with if we’ve never experienced it.

pain has to be experienced to be totally understood. I gave up justifying myself a few years ago. Good friends and family understand as best they can. Don’t worry about the rest. Stay safe x gentle hugs

Claylily

24/04/2020 at 11:23

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Claylily

Last activity on 30/07/2022 at 10:52

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Oh definitely! There have been a couple of occasions where I've been laid in bed for 7 days not able to do anything,in so much pain,every move is extremely hard. I also have C -Reactive Protein which is bad enough. When the advertisement comes on for Arthritis and I say to people I know how that feels,it's like ,yeah right.☹️ I have Polyarticular Arthritis in my hands , knees,feet.on a good day I can grip with my fingers,on others I can't straighten or grip. It's invisible and debilitating.

Courtney_J

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24/04/2020 at 12:07

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Courtney_J

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@Claylily Hello Claylily, thank you for commenting. That sounds really painful, I'm sorry you're going through that. Do your friends and family understand what you're going through? What do you do to explain it to them?

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Claylily

24/04/2020 at 12:20

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Claylily

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Hi Courtney,yes most of them do and I do get help and support as I live on my own.i guess unless you've been through it,they don't really know the extent of what we all go through. It's hard to explain how it feels to them .

rheumiroomie

15/05/2020 at 17:54

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rheumiroomie

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@Claylily I understand this completely. They just don't get it. That's why I've just given up trying to explain or justify myself.

Claylily

15/05/2020 at 18:09

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Claylily

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yikesspikes

08/06/2020 at 14:47

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yikesspikes

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This may be a slightly different question, but does anyone else feel like people look at you differently when they hear about your RA? Like they look at you with pity or like you've got something wrong with you? Maybe it's just all in my head, but I feel like they feel or look at me in a way that I am not as valuable as a person or that I cannot do certain things.

EmmyJane

Edited on 18/06/2020 at 18:49

EmmyJane

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@yikesspikes I've experienced this since I've been officially diagnosed. Since I've been able to put a name on the pain I've been experiencing I feel like my friends and family just look at me like "poor you". Friends don't ask me to do things as much anymore I feel. I guess one benefit is that I don't get asked to help move my friend's flats anymore. But overall I feel pitied and it frustrates me.

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EmmyJane

Do you ever feel like you have to justify yourself to others because of your RA?

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