In the U.S. alone, 100 million people suffer from chronic pain.
However, few of them use one of the best tools for chronic pain relief: The mind.
Chronic pain relief is a complicated issue. That is because chronic pain can have so many sources.
It may begin with an injury—acute pain that doesn’t go away, even after the physical cause of the pain is gone. Nerve problems or diseases like arthritis can also cause chronic pain. Plus, genetics and differences in the structure of the brain may make some people more susceptible.
Medical treatment for chronic pain, such as prescribing opioids, is often unsuccessful and carries the risk of dangerous side effects and addiction.
Some pain is psychogenic, that is, it has a psychological origin.
We are now beginning to recognize that even when its source is physical, chronic pain has a psychological component. It follows that, for chronic pain relief, we need to involve the mind.
Instead of high-risk, low-reward treatments like medication, psychotherapy takes advantage of the mind’s healing power to reduce chronic pain in a way that carries a much lower risk.
Yes, the mind is a powerful ally for chronic pain relief.
Pain and Psychology
It’s easy to dismiss or overlook the psychological dimension of pain.
Pain works through nerve endings in the body, various regions of the brain, and the nerve path from the brain to the body. Chemicals in the body can make pain greater or diminish it. If any part of this complex system malfunctions, chronic pain can result.
Pain is a danger signal—of damage to our bodies. But sometimes the signal activates when there’s no real danger. Nonetheless, pain caused by problems with the circuits in the brain is “real” pain—we’re not making it up. But to treat this kind of chronic pain, we must involve the mind.
Physical pain and emotional pain interact inside our brains. Our personalities and thoughts and the behavior we learn affect the way we experience pain. Our emotions play a part, too. When we give our attention to pain by our negative thoughts, when we imagine catastrophe, we participate in chronic pain.
Psychological Treatment for Chronic Pain Relief
Three therapies that have helped to reduce chronic pain are Pain Reprocessing Therapy, Mindfulness Meditation, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). These therapies don’t work for everybody. But they can reduce the effects of chronic pain on your life by putting you more in control.
Pain Reprocessing Therapy
Also called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing or EMDR, this treatment is currently being studied in a clinical trial. It teaches the person suffering from chronic pain to notice the sensations in their bodies and assess them. The goal is to reinterpret them as non-dangerous.
When the patient can pay attention to the sensations without fearing them, provided the pain does not have a physical or structural cause, the pain decreases.
Particularly where the pain is associated with intense emotional distress, EMDR can give long-lasting chronic pain relief.
Mindfulness Meditation
Treating chronic pain with mindfulness seems counterintuitive. Someone in pain wants it to stop; they don’t want to pay more attention to it. However, mindfulness operates on the premise of easing the pain by paying attention to it without judging. And it’s proven to be useful for reducing chronic pain.
Our brains naturally respond to the sensation of pain with negative thoughts. We hate it and want it to go away. “This is awful,” we think. “Will I always feel like this?” When we expect relief, and it doesn’t come, we may think, “Nothing will ever work!”
Mindfulness teaches chronic pain sufferers to let go of expectations. It encourages them to learn about their pain, to separate awareness of it from thinking negative thoughts about it. It gives the person with chronic pain a more realistic picture. Mindfulness also teaches breathing exercises to calm you and healthy ways to distract yourself from the pain. You can choose what works for you.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CBT is the most studied and tested of the psychological treatments for chronic pain. It’s also used to treat problems such as anxiety, phobias, and mood disorders. Like Pain Reprocessing Therapy and Mindfulness Meditation, CBT helps people to examine their chronic pain in a new way. It aims to change the overly negative way they process their beliefs and experiences.
CBT focuses on behavior, encouraging exercise and changing ways of moving that cause fewer problems. Even when the chronic pain continues, knowing its cause lets you ignore it more often, so you can go on with your life.
There's evidence from brain imaging studies that CBT can lead to changes in the brain. But it’s most useful in fighting disability. When people feel their pain won’t let them participate in activities, they do less and less. CBT helps patients feel like doing more, which improves their quality of life.
Consider Psychological Therapies for Chronic Pain Relief
The mind is a powerful healer. It can reduce chronic pain, help heal symptoms like depression, and improve quality of life. And it’s much less risky than opioids or surgery.
Instead of being the treatment of last resort, psychological therapies like Pain Reprocessing Therapy, Mindfulness Meditation, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy should be among the first choices for chronic pain relief.
If you're ready find a better way to deal with your chronic pain, please contact me.