Living with chronic pain is not easy. While doctors may recommend various coping strategies, it is frustrating to not feel pain is understood. However, coping skills are beneficial in reducing pain. Yes, they distract however many also physiologically block pain receptors and improve one’s quality of life.
Chronic pain is by no means easy, however, here are a few tips that may help:
Avoid Negativity
Focus on attending to your thoughts. Are you often consumed by frustrating, upsetting, or depressing thoughts? If a thought negatively impacts your well-being, consider whether it is a good idea to continue thinking it. Replace negative thoughts with realistic, or even helpful thoughts. Rather than saying, “I’ll never be able to ride a bike again because of the pain”, you might say, “I might not be able to ride a bike now, but I can swim and I enjoy that too”. If you’re interested in this, yet a bit skeptical as to how to do this, consider looking into Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.
Be Open to Positivity
Studies show positive emotions decrease pain levels. Look for small sources of happiness around you. Pay attention to a friend’s laugh, your favorite scent, or your favorite dogs prancing around the park. Your positive thoughts can help you feel better. Come up with a mantra for yourself or recite a positive twist to a negative thought you are working on changing. Thinking positively creates positive change.
Focus On Your Words
Words are powerful. Write them down. You can write down honestly how you feel about the pain. Get it out and on paper. Then try to problem-solve or rewrite the negative thought into a realistic or positive one.
Distract Yourself
Distraction does help the pain. Watch a funny television show, do an activity unrelated to the pain, or spend some time chatting about an unrelated topic. Whatever you choose to do, find an activity that distracts your mind from focusing on the pain.
Be Mindful
Focus on the present. Observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. Hold an ice cube, smell some essential oils and focus on that, nothing else.
Meditate
Give yourself permission to put aside your thoughts, feelings, and worries instead of focusing on relaxing your mind. When a thought comes up, acknowledge it and let it go. Meditation has been shown to ease muscle tension, fight fatigue, reduce stress, reduce anxiety and depression, and relieve pain symptoms. Deep breathing is also helpful for this as it allows the body to relax as you breathe in and out slowly.
Relax Your Muscles
Progressive muscle relaxation relieves stress and reduces pain by lowering muscle tension. This can be done sitting up or lying down, on your back, systematically relaxing each part of your body.
Try Creative Imagery
Use mental images to increase your well-being. This increases endorphins and other chemicals that help to reduce pain and alleviate stress and negative mood. Imagine a happy or pleasant scene or positive memory, remain in that scene and observe the positive feelings that come with this.
If you live with chronic pain, give one of these above tips a try and see what works best for you. If you need additional emotional support, consider talking to a licensed talk therapist.
