What triggers autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis?

One of the well known factors is the cold weather. In RA we know that there occurs a typical seasonal aggravation of the disease. The other factor that is known to trigger off autoimmunity is stress. It is observed that RA starts off or flares up in most women after some form of stress. Stresses could be physical like an infection, post delivery, or menopause. Or it may be an emotional trigger. Generally, it has been observed that you are sensitive by nature and trying to cope up with too many emotionally demanding situations in your life over a number of years. Also, there is usually an immediate trigger in the form of an acute emotionally demanding situation. 

There seems to be a strong family tendency for rheumatoid disease at the background, which has made you vulnerable to autoimmune arthritis, and the stresses of life either physical or emotional have triggered off the actual disease process.

Psyche, central nervous system and immune system.

Today modern science has understood the mechanisms of how this stress can trigger off the autoimmune process. Psycho-neuroimmunology