Most chronic rheumatological conditions require major psychological adaptation, both at the time of diagnosis and throughout the illness. Patients have to take regular medications and may face major surgery. Not only do individuals have to come to terms with symptoms and varying treatments, but they have to adapt to altered life plans, reduced employment prospects, and uncertainty about the future course of the disease and its impact on their lives. It is therefore not surprising that rheumatic disease does not only affect a person’s psychological well-being but that these psychological factors can also impact upon the disease itself. Treatment, although primarily pharmacological and sometimes surgical, also includes a range of non-medical interventions including physiotherapy, pain management, weight-loss regimens, and self-management.