"Does this disease make my butt look big?"

After finding that sad article yesterday about how depressed we Psoriatics are about how we look, I was determined today to find some hopeful and helpful articles on Psoriatic Arthritis and body image. I've already learned two things this morning, and it's not yet 9AM:

1) when you Google "arthritis and body image", you sure find out a lot about arthritis and sex. Yowza. More power to us.

2) I do find that Psoriatic Arthritis is like the ugly stepsister of Rheumatoid Arthritis (and Psoriasis) in the research world. There is so much more about RA than PsA or Psoriasis - it can be frustrating (thus, this blog). However, body image is one of those many topics that seems to apply well to both forms of inflammatory arthritis.

I also found a good article, very cognitive behavioral, about how to change your thinking about your body when you are beaten down with arthritis. I liked a lot of what it said, especially this section:

Starting to Change Your Body Image

• Better Self-talk - Would you continue to be friends with someone if every time they saw you they said, "Your rear end is the size of Texas?" No. But do you do the same thing to yourself every time you look in the mirror, criticizing some body part? You need positive self-talk, not negative self-talk. Don't give yourself permission to insult yourself.
  
• Accepting Physiology - Hormones may influence your moods and cravings; illness may alter your functional ability and/or body size/shape; genetics give you a uniqueness you may not be able to change.

  --Remember the Serenity Prayer - "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

  --Be realistic - Yes, there are things you can change, but you must be realistic.

I'm officially encouraging all of us arthritics to get out there and work it. Me, I put on my tight green sweater and some nice earrings. I even fixed my hair up pretty. Too bad my husband is out of town!