If you have arthritis (or someone you know does), here’s an important new warning: Pay close attention to how the disease makes you feel—not just physically (in your joints) but emotionally (in your head).

Do you feel worried about how arthritis limits you? For example, do you stress over the fact that achy joints cause you to cancel appointments…to postpone chores around the house…or to take a pass on enjoyable physical activities, such as hiking with your family?

These might seem like normal, everyday concerns for someone with a chronic disease. But a new study suggests that you may want to talk to your doctor to make sure, because it revealed that people with arthritis are at very high risk for anxiety—a feeling of apprehension or fear that isn’t necessarily “dramatic” (you might not have panic attacks), but that never entirely goes away. When you have this kind of persistent worrying, it’s just hard to enjoy life—even on “good” days.

But you don’t have to live this way! There is treatment out there that might lessen your anxiety—or even make it go away completely.

DISTURBING DATA

Even the researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta were surprised to see that nearly one-third of the adult arthritis patients they surveyed reported ongoing symptoms of anxiety.

Now, a link between depression and arthritis has been well-reported in the past, and, in fact, 18% of the patients in the survey had symptoms of depression. Many, if not most, doctors know about the depression link among their arthritis patients and talk to patients about their symptoms such as persistent sadness or hopelessness, insomnia, difficulty concentrating and fatigue, said the CDC study’s lead researcher Louise Murphy, PhD. But if chronic anxiety is even more common among arthritis patients, then shouldn’t we all (including doctors) be watching for that, too?

BEAT THE WORRY

Everyone with arthritis worries at least a little bit, so how can you tell if your anxiety is out of the ordinary? If you notice that many of your concerns pertain to feeling limited due to your arthritis or if you consistently don’t feel capable of meeting your family’s needs or your own personal needs and desires because of your arthritis, then talk to your health-care provider about your symptoms, said Dr. Murphy.

The good news is that effectively treating your arthritis may reduce any anxiety (and depression), said Dr. Murphy, who noted that the reverse may also be true—addressing the emotional aspects may ease arthritis symptoms. “We’re not sure yet what causes what, but we do know that it’s all intertwined,” she said, adding that your best bet is to treat it all.

For a customized treatment program, talk to your doctor. But if you’re looking for a head start, Dr. Murphy suggested looking into nationwide public health programs (many of which are free) that are aimed at managing arthritis and any accompanying anxiety and depression naturally (without potentially harmful drugs) through exercise and stress-reduction techniques. The CDC Arthritis Program recommends specific programs and offers state-by-state information here.