The mind and the body are deeply interconnected.
Being diagnosed with a chronic disease like psoriatic arthritis can make you feel upset, distressed, or hopeless. You have to deal with physical pain that leads to emotional pain. You may have outbreaks of plaque psoriasis that hurt and make you feel self-conscious because others can see them on your skin. You may struggle to go about your daily life or normal activities. Learning to cope with the mental and emotional aspects of chronic disease is an increasingly important part of well-rounded care for a rheumatic disease like psoriatic arthritis.
A mind-body approach means taking steps to care for your mental health so it has a positive impact on your physical health. It can include incorporating the following into your treatment plan, along with your prescribed medication, physical and/or occupational therapy, and healthy lifestyle changes such as an anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, and getting good sleep. It is important to keep in mind that these techniques are best used as add-ons to your current medication and treatment regimen — not as replacements.
Talk Therapy
Also called psychotherapy, talk therapy is a popular form of counseling from a mental health professional or a trained counselor that can help people with chronic illness. The mind-body approach of talk therapy isn’t just about lying on a therapist’s couch; it’s about changing your thinking, perspective, and behavior.
Relaxation Techniques
Techniques to help you relax or ease stress can help you manage chronic pain or anxiety that’s common in people with psoriatic arthritis.
Relaxation therapies include:
Science shows some benefits of incorporating aromatherapy into your PsA treatment plan. Aromatherapy is the use of “aromatic oils” — the most concentrated extracts from flowers, herbs, trees, and other plants — to ease physical and emotional ailments. The practice has been around since ancient times. Today aromatherapy oils, known as essential oils, are incorporated in massage, added to baths, or breathed in through a nasal inhaler or diffuser.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a mind-body technique that helps people learn to notice physical symptoms of stress and anxiety. During a biofeedback session, a practitioner may attach sensors to your skin (similar to those used during an EKG for your heart) in order to measure body temperature, brainwaves, heart function, and/or muscle tension. Based on these measures, you will then learn how to control these usually “automatic” body functions using breathing, relaxation, or visualization techniques to reduce the impact of your symptoms.
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery, also known as visualization, is a form of meditation that draws on your senses. Research shows that guided imagery can reduce pain, anxiety, and stress, which is a flare trigger for many people with PsA. To try it: Sit quietly and take a few slow, deep breaths to calm your body. Close your eyes and form mental images of places you find relaxing, like a white-sand beach or snow-topped mountain. When you feel pain in your body, try to change the sensation of the pain to this imagery. This can help your mind and body relax and lose focus on the joint pain. Use as many senses as possible — like smells and sounds — to make the image more vivid. You can be led through this process by a guide or teacher, a smartphone app or computer program to explore it further, or try it on your own.
Meditation means to “ponder.” When you meditate, you focus inward to increase calmness, concentration, and emotional balance. There are different types of mediation that can be used to cope with PsA symptoms, stressor anxiety. There are many types of meditation resources out there, from online courses to real-world medication groups. And of course, the beauty of meditation is that once you get started, you can develop your ability and reap the benefits without anything but yourself, a few moments, and a comfortable place to sit or lie down. There is no right or wrong type of meditation. You get to choose whichever form you like the best, so feel free to explore.
Mindfulness refers to being aware of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment through a gentle nurturing lens in the present moment. Practicing mindfulness meditation can help in coping with your symptoms of PsA by improving your relationship with, and your thoughts and feelings about, your PsA symptoms. Being more mindful doesn’t necessarily require special training, but it does take practice to learn to be able to adopt a neutral observer’s perspective on your symptoms. Many people find that practicing meditation, yoga, or tai chi helps them become more mindful during their regular daily activities. Becoming more mindful may improve your ability to control pain and other PsA symptoms and your response to them.
Deep Breathing
Breath work has been shown to help regulate brain activity when the body is overstimulated with overwhelming feelings such as fear, anger, grief, and anxiety. According to research, even a few minutes of deep breathing — for instance, breathing in for a count of four and out for a count of eight — can start to calm your body’s responsiveness and gain some mastery over your stress responses and symptoms. You can try deep breathing on your own, or look for guided breathing exercises on YouTube or via a meditation app on your smartphone.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5168499/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5519124/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6613346/
https://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/arthritis-news/fatigued-wont-exercise-make-tired-fatigued/
https://www.hss.edu/conditions_managing-fatigue-rheumatoid-arthritis.asp
https://creakyjoints.org/living-with-arthritis/chronic-illness-increase-energy/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK384467/
https://www.medpagetoday.com/reading-room/acrr/generalrheumatology/74380
Here are some additional articles and videos that will help you take a mind-body approach to living with PsA.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acr.24224
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/mindfulness
https://creakyjoints.org/mental-health/mindfulness-meditation-program-improve-mental-health-rheumatic-disease/#1622142257477-5d93cb92-9e12
https://www.hopkinsarthritis.org/managing-your-arthritis/complementary-alternative-medicines-for-psoriatic-arthritis/
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