For the patient with lupus, the emotional aspects of dealing with a chronic disease can be overwhelming.

They can also make the patient feel isolated from friends, family, and coworkers. Grief, depression, and anger are common reactions of patients with lupus.

Those with lupus and their families deal with the disease in strikingly different ways.

Managing the ups and downs of the disease may put strains on relationships and marriages.

Younger patients may fail to assert their independence or develop a life away from home if they feel they cannot cope with their disease on their own.

Family members are often confused and frightened over the changes they see.

They need guidance on and constructive suggestions for helping the patient.

Children of people with lupus, particularly those too young to really understand the disease, may need special help in coping with their parent's illness.

It is in these areas that the patient, family, and support systems need to be assessed, encouraged, and guided so that they work together as a team.

By allowing the patient and her or his family the time and freedom to move through different emotional phases without criticism and unrealistic expectations, you will facilitate acceptance of the disease.

The health professional can have a major role in helping a patient adjust, and can help with referrals to a social worker, counselor, or community resource, if needed.

Chapter 6, Psychosocial Aspects of Lupus, discusses these issues in more detail.





















Source: National Institutes of Health, U.S.Dept of Health and Human Services