Respecting Treatment Choices

As if having our lives altered by psoriatic arthritis wasn’t hard enough, we also face harsh judgment from those who disapprove of how we treat our conditions. Most shocking is that the people who are often the most judgmental also suffer from a painful chronic condition.

One way to treat PsA is not the only way

People who opt for pharmaceutical treatment often criticize those who treat their condition naturally - and vice versa. Even if there was a cure for psoriatic arthritis, there is no reason to shame or belittle how someone chooses to medicate.

Nobody should ever feel pressured to treat their conditions in a manner that they are not comfortable with. Nor should anyone bully someone just because they disagree with how they medicate.

Instead, we need to respect each other’s choices even if we disagree. Just because I don’t choose to medicate with pharmaceutical medications doesn’t mean that I think that my way is the only way.

Treating my conditions naturally doesn’t make me anti-medicine. In my case, the negative side-effects from prescriptions outweighed any good they did. But just because they made me sicker doesn’t mean that I think people who medicate in that manner are wrong.

Every person with psoriatic arthritis is different

We look different, have different personalities, and our bodies have different reactions to medications. Most importantly, how to medicate lies solely with the person fighting the disease.

So instead of judging someone for medicating differently, you should be thankful we have the freedom to make different choices. It’s okay to share what medications or methods work best for you, don’t be pushy or put down other people’s choices.

If more of us would listen to each other instead of trying to push our choices on others, we could learn a lot from each other. I have no need or desire to defend my choices, but I will gladly explain why I medicate in the manner I do with someone genuinely interested.

Our lives are tough enough. Let’s not make them more painful than they need to be.