Depression and rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis often goes beyond the physical barrier. Psychiatric disorders, particularly depression are the most common comorbidities of arthritis in general. As rheumatoid arthritis is a painful condition that often results in debilitating health and impaired mobility, the disease, the activity and the chronic pain makes the patient depressed and irritable. To be precise, there exists a correlate between significant depression and rheumatoid arthritis and vice versa.

Disability is the main reason that leads to chronic depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, reveals the Arthritis Foundation. Studies have suggested that people having rheumatoid arthritis and depression together are at an increased risk of premature death. However, patients having only rheumatoid arthritis and characteristic signs and symptoms of depression are usually on the safer side, though not at peace.

Disability is the main reason that leads to chronic depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, reveals the Arthritis Foundation. Studies have suggested that people having rheumatoid arthritis and depression together are at an increased risk of premature death. However, patients having only rheumatoid arthritis and characteristic signs and symptoms of depression are usually on the safer side, though not at peace.

Any type of pain is stressful, and rheumatoid arthritis is not only very painful but also affects movement. Over time, dependence increases and so does the number of medications, treatments and therapies. But nothing seems to work for this condition, as it has no definite treatment.

It is important to understand the subtlety of depression and rheumatoid arthritis as the patient will also not know when he/she is shuffling between these two chronic diseases. It is true that the two co-exists, but any one of the conditions can be more demanding at times than the other.