Helping our patients with chronic pain

I’ve seen a number of folks this week with chronic pain. I am sure you have too. 

Pain is both a physical as well as an emotional experience.

Feelings of pain may lead to thoughts like “bone on bone” or “I am going to lose my independence”, which may lead to more feelings of pain and apprehension.

So defusion and making space for the “thoughts and feelings” of pain are important in pain management. Medications like SSRIs can help with this too.

If they are not careful, those thoughts and feelings can “suck them” into fusion, and move them away from their values.

So instead of living a life with fear, frustration and avoidance, we may help them to focus more on taking value driven actions, and live a life that they want to create, despite those thoughts and feelings.