Making new friends and maintaining existing relationships grows increasingly harder as we grow older. Work and family discourage us from forming new friendships and going out socially. Add arthritis to the mix and you have a whole new hurdle to leap. Pain and fatigue can make it hard to keep social engagements. Physical challenges and deformities can make you self-conscious or shy around other people.

You know it can be frustrating to try to explain your disease to potential new friends – not to mention potential dating opportunities. How do you explain that arthritis doesn’t only affect older people or that you can’t drink alcohol because of medication?

Despite the challenges, you shouldn’t let arthritis keep you from enjoying an active social life. The Arthritis Foundation can help you learn how you can find friends that already understand, how to talk to others about your disease and how to handle intimacy issues.

Forming meaningful relationships is an important part of managing your disease. Friends can help you combat depression, distract you from pain and support you when you are having a flare. Research also shows that a strong support system can actually improve your physical health.