What do people with arthritis do to cope?

Stay active.: Remain as mentally engaged as possible. Remember the adage: "the fire of pain refines the heart to pure gold." if you have deformities, you have been treated too late or ineffectually. If your arthritis is new, relief should be forthcoming. See a specialist in rheumatology. Your empathy for others in pain will be better. All things do pass. Take the good from bad!