Community Views: Psoriatic Arthritis Bumper Stickers

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) consumes so much of a person's life. In addition to managing chronic pain, doctor's appointments, triggers, and symptoms - we also have the added emotional pain of constantly having to explain, defend, or justify our condition. That point goes for ourselves and for others.

The only people who understand the true impact of psoriatic arthritis are those who live with it.

Describing life with PsA

When we find people who understand, we find connection and validation. We obtain permission to be ourselves and become empowered by our condition - more than disheartened by it. PsA is an incurable condition - it's not going anywhere.

While PsA is no laughing matter, we know that sometimes it helps to let loose and laugh at the things we cannot change. Understanding that PsA is a difficult condition to explain (and faced with insurmountable stigma), we turned to our Psoriasis-Arthritis.com Facebook community.

We asked, “If you could design a bumper sticker that describes life with PsA, what would it say?” Let's dive in to some of the answers...

Slow movement

Several community members referred to how tough it is to move their joints. They have learned to live with not getting around as quickly as they did before, and they made light of this ongoing challenge.

• “I might be moving slow, but I am still moving.”
• “Slow moving vessel – go around!”
• “My other car is a mobility device.”

Flaky skin

Skin symptoms are one of the most annoying parts of PsA. Some people have found relief from creams or ointments, but that is not always the case. A few folks found the humor in this symptom, recognizing that if they could not change it, they may as well have a laugh about it.

• “A little flaky.”
• “Leaving pieces of me everywhere.”

Unpredictability

You never know when a PsA flare will occur. It can be frustrating when symptoms show up out of nowhere and at the worst times. Fatigue can also show up randomly, causing you to suddenly need a rest.

• “Unpredictable and sudden gear changes possible!”
• “Rough road ahead!”
• “Vehicle experiences frequent breakdowns.”

Pain

The pain of PsA is one of the hardest symptoms to deal with. So, it is no surprise that it was commonly mentioned in the bumper stickers the community came up with.

• “Handle with care: My entire body hurts.”
• “PsA = Painful Stinkin' Arthritis.”
• “Chronic Pain Warrior.”
• “Walking on broken glass.”
• “I am on fire!”
• “Autoimmune disorder, because nothing can kick my butt better than me!”

Still going strong

Many more community members chose to write bumper stickers reminding themselves to keep their spirits up. There are good days and bad days with PsA, and they are staying strong throughout all of it.

• “No matter the circumstances, I am still here.”
• “Day by day with PsA.”