Psoriatic arthritis and mental health – Taking ACTION

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and with it also being Arthritis Awareness Month, it's a vital opportunity to talk openly about psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and its effects on mental health.

For 2026, the Mental Health Awareness Week theme is ‘ACTION’. Raising awareness is important, but so is taking action to look after your own wellbeing, challenge stigma, and be there for others.  

We know that psoriatic arthritis is much more than pain and fatigue – the mental impact can be just as prevalent as the physical symptoms, so it’s important to listen to your body and your mind to prevent physical and mental burn out.  

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Here’s some practical tips to manage your mental health with PsA:

Find a good level of activity for you 

Keeping active in a way that works for you and your symptoms may help to ease strain on the joints while improving your wellbeing. Low-impact activities like walking, swimming, or yoga can be particularly beneficial, depending on the joint pain you are experiencing. You can choose to do seated exercises if they are more comfortable. 

Practice mindfulness 

Meditation, journaling and breathing exercises can reduce your stress levels, which may in turn reduce your PsA symptoms. 

Recognise when you need to rest 

Rather than trying to complete lots of activities in one day, prioritise the most urgent tasks. You can break activities into smaller chunks and take regular breaks such as doing 10-20 minutes of cleaning at a time, with a rest in between. 

Keep routine  

Developing a solid routine can help you to build resilience and consistency – and including some of the tips mentioned above is an effective way to make sure these get ticked off every day.  

Ask for support  

It’s always okay to ask for help from the people around you if there are tasks you find difficult due to pain and fatigue. 

It can also be very beneficial to talk to likeminded people who understand the unique nature of psoriatic arthritis and its effect on day-to-day life – we have a dedicated psoriatic arthritis forum where people can ask questions and share thoughts about symptoms, treatments and share their general experiences with PsA. 

Mental Health Awareness Week is a week-long campaign run by the Mental Health Foundation in the UK every year in May. For more information and resources, visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk. 

Recognising Arthritis Awareness Month in the UK  

May has long been recognised in the US as Arthritis Awareness Month -  and there has never been a UK equivalent, until now. 

This month, for the first time, Arthritis UK is running a campaign designed to establish Arthritis Awareness Month in the UK, encouraging people to seek a diagnosis and ‘open the door to a life lived better’.   

More information on psoriatic arthritis is available on our website, in our leaflets and information sheets, or by reaching out via our helpline.