Living with Chronic Pain

A lot of people live with chronic pain. This pain may come from chronic disorders such as arthritis, back pain, diabetes, muscle pain, cancer pain, etc. The pain can be low-grade and constant, of moderate severity, or even acute. In many cases, people treat only the physical aspect of pain, which can be very successful. However, sometimes they forget about the psychological aspect of pain and the struggles that come with it. The research shows that pain is a perception, and therefore, people experiencing the same condition and the same amount of pain may perceive, measure, and describe it quite differently. The psychological component of chronic pain consists of the extent to which the patient’s quality of life is impacted. Perhaps, because of pain, the person stops seeing their loved ones or friends, stops working, or is not able to sleep. The person starts to experience emotional and financial struggles, which further contribute to physical pain. When the person experiences pain, it negates all the positive things in life and makes pain the primary area of life to manage. It can get to the point where the person builds their life around pain in order to cope with it. As a result, the combination of physical pain itself and the consequent psychological hardships stemming from it leads to depression, anxiety, mood instability, and other mental health symptoms.

Even though pain can be debilitating and difficult to manage, people can and should treat it. First of all, it is important to break the cycle of constant pain. A primary care physician or psychiatrist can prescribe medication that will give at least some relief from the pain, reduce the intensity or frequency of the pain, and allow the person to get a good night’s sleep. Further, the person needs to work on the concept of pain versus suffering. While pain can be objectified by the person, suffering has the element of adding extra sadness, shame, guilt, and worries on top of the initial pain. Therefore, reducing the psychological component of physical pain may lessen extra stress. Stress increases physical pain and, therefore, needs to be controlled. With all the aforementioned things in mind, there are a few strategies that people can use to cope with chronic pain. Controlling stress levels, staying active, which can distract from pain, continuing to work, maintaining social connections, finding support from loved ones, and taking medications the way they are prescribed are some of the few methods that can help decrease and keep pain in check. Attending physical therapy and psychotherapy are also great ways to control pain. The therapist can reinforce the coping skills and help the patient maintain a proper balance in life. Additionally, a plethora of research has shown that practicing meditation regularly reduces the subjective experience of pain by altering the neural pathways in the brain. Therefore, understanding the multidimensionality of pain and using various means may, if not eliminate it completely, then reduce it and promote a good quality of life.