While a lot of people think of pain as a very physical experience, it isn’t always just physical. Pain comes in different forms and affects each of us in different ways.
With so many people in the world today suffering from chronic pain for a wide range of issues, it is becoming a very big problem. Chronic pain can and usually does have a very serious effect on the lives of those affected by it. People with chronic pain issues in general face biological, emotional, and psychological effects as a result.
Yes, pain is our body is a way of letting us know when something is wrong but if you cannot get rid of that pain or if you are unable to identify its causes altogether you’re going to become quite distressed in more ways than most might want to admit. This is why a lot of people who face chronic pain are told to seek therapy. They need help to cope with the things that they are facing as a result of their pain. They are emotionally hurting just as bad as they are physical whether you can see it or not.
In regards to the stress that stems from this kind of thing the APA wrote as follows on their website:
Having a painful condition is stressful. Unfortunately, stress can contribute to a range of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, depression, and anxiety. In addition, stress can trigger muscle tension or muscle spasms that may increase pain. Managing your emotions can directly affect the intensity of your pain.
Our minds and bodies are much more linked up than we usually stop to notice. When we are able to face things in a positive manner our results will also usually be similar. The physical health we are in reflects how we are on a psychological and emotional level which for some reason is often overlooked. By taking control of our emotions and bettering ourselves psychologically it has been noted that we can work to control our pain on some levels.
Psychology Today actually reported as follows on this topic:
So if you’re coping with chronic pain, remember this: Changing your brain can change your pain. Addressing your emotional health directly impacts your physical health because brain and body are always connected. Consider hiring a therapist to be your “pain coach”—it doesn’t mean you’re crazy, and it’s not all in your head. Try biobehavioral interventions like CBT, biofeedback, and mindfulness, and request that your insurance company reimburse these approaches to pain management in addition to pills and procedures.
If you’re a therapist or health provider, your help is desperately needed. Learn more about pain and spread the word about biopsychosocial pain management. Check the reference section for books and articles that can help pave the way. Hire pain psychologists and other integrative providers in your hospital or clinic. Teach patients how pain works, connect the mind with the body, and offer hope.
If you feel like you’re at your wit’s end and you’ve tried everything possible maybe you need to look within at least once more. For more information on this kind of thing please check out the video below. Chronic pain is so much more than most make it out to be and the more people work to understand it the better.