If you’re dealing with chronic pain, chances are it’s impacted every aspect of your life. Chronic pain makes it difficult to connect with others and live life to its fullest. Depending on your condition and challenges, having hope for the future may feel impossible. Even so, it’s important to remember that you’re more than a condition. While chronic pain may be a part of your life, it doesn’t have to define it.
Today, we’ll explore six key strategies you can use to cope with chronic pain.
Understanding Chronic Pain’s Impact
Top of the list is setting aside time to take stock of the impact chronic pain is having on your life. Think of this as a brainstorming session—like solving a problem at work or trying to make sense of a cozy little mystery. Some key areas to consider during this process:
When is the pain the sharpest?
What activities and events trigger your pain?
Do accommodations help manage it?
How has chronic pain impacted your hobbies?
What role does chronic pain play in your work life?
Do friends and family understand your pain?
How does chronic pain impact your romantic life?
This process can be overwhelming—but it’s a necessary first step to understanding ways you can begin to cope with chronic pain in different ways. Think of this as creating a roadmap for a journey. Only by understanding the road ahead can you begin to plan for it.
Cognitive Restructuring
Chronic pain sucks, there’s no two ways about it. It’s not uncommon for people to get mired in negative thoughts. Pessimism, while natural, is rarely helpful. Accordingly, it’s important to challenge those thoughts when they arise—to look for silver linings and to practice giving yourself positive feedback and reinforcement.
Training yourself to respond to pain with encouragement can be crucial to managing pain. Remind yourself that every bad day ends, and you still have significant power over your life, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
One of the best methods for managing chronic pain is progressive muscle relaxation. This form of grounding technique helps connect you with your body and directs your focus to different areas. You can practice by sequentially tensing and relaxing your muscles, starting with your hands or legs and then moving through your body.
Activity Pacing
If chronic pain is new to you, chances are you may not be giving yourself enough time and space for recovery. Activity pacing is a way of centering your pain without letting it rule your life. Activity pacing reminds us to break tasks into smaller segments—taking smaller bites to respect and honor our body’s needs.
Assertiveness Training
Many of the people in your life will have trouble understanding the impact chronic pain has on you. As a result, it’s important to practice communicating your needs in a constructive, assertive fashion. Returning to our first tip on understanding the impact of chronic pain on your life, consider what accommodations may help you get through a social event or function better at work. Be ready to make that case to others so you have the tools you need to succeed.
Set Realistic Goals
With chronic pain, it’s especially important to establish realistic goals. When setting those goals, it’s important to ensure that they meet the following criteria:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Bound (deadline oriented)
By constructing your goals this way, you can implement real, measurable improvements in your lives. The result is often an overall improvement in quality of life.
Schedule an Appointment
Chronic pain is difficult to manage—but you’re far from alone in your struggle. Depression or anxiety therapy can help you find ways to manage your pain, work through mental health difficulties, and navigate a way forward. To learn more, schedule a free consultation today.
Comments