“I was diagnosed with psoriasis during high school,” says Jacobson, who is director of behavioral health case management at Banner University Medical Center in Tuscon, Arizona. “But because I was an athlete during college, my doctors missed the psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, blaming the joint pain on me being an athlete and on the judo team.” Jacobson, now 61, recalls a pivotal moment that changed the way he thought about his illness and the future. “My first laugh was when I moved home and was barely able to walk. My mom did everything for me. However, I knew I had to take care of myself,” he says. “One day when the phone rang, I did an impromptu act of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, dragging my body to the phone on all fours while moaning. My mom was so busy laughing, she let me get the phone. And that was the beginning of becoming resilient.” Jacobson knew he could not change the lifetime diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis, but he could change the way he felt about it. Today, he is a professional speaker on leadership, humor, and health. His website, Humor Horizons, says he is “dedicated to the use of therapeutic humor.” Here, Jacobson shares 10 personal tips to being resilient when living with a condition like psoriatic arthritis: The bottom line: “Have a positive mindset,” Jacobson says. “You are great, and tell yourself this daily.”
