I can’t stop thinking about my pain”
“I wonder if the pain means something else is wrong” "I don’t see any end in sight” These statements are examples of pain catastrophizing – emotional negative exaggerations – that can result in more pain and lead to anxiety and depression.
Learn more. It's not easy managing chronic pain. There's no need for going through it alone. Find a local support group or Facebook support group to help you through the journey.
But be careful which groups you join. I've seen way too much pain talk in many support groups. While pain talk can help us validate our pain, it has been shown to worsen pain. Conversely, well talk has been shown to reduce pain intensity. You can’t make positive steps in your life if surrounded by negativity. Stay away from people who only want to complain about pain. And don’t share your pain with others with pain talk or other pain-related behavior. That’s why I started my own support group where we try to limit complaining, woe is me or negative talk. The group is called Chronic Pain Champions – No Whining Allowed. Join us! What a better way to pass the time and distract yourself by playing and learning at the same time?
Play: Chronic Pain Champion word search (think how each word applies to your pain journey and how you can champion pain) Chronic Pain Champion bingo (mark boxes as you complete them each day or use a reminder of tools you can use to manage pain) Chronic Pain Champion pain quiz (test your pain IQ) Exciting news for me to expand my role as a chronic pain advocate and help other chronic pain patients take control of their pain.
I’m honored to being chosen as a patient advocate on the Practical Pain Management (PPM) Editorial Advisory Board. As a patient advocate I represent your voices. Please share with me your thoughts, ideas and concerns. If you haven’t checked out PPM, I recommend doing so. Medical appointments can be stressful enough without having to remember our medicines and medical histories.
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WelcomeChronic Pain Champions is an information resource/blog/support group to help people living with nonmalignant pain, their families and friends, as well as healthcare professionals. Learn more about this site and the author. Archives
January 2022
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Tom Bowen Chronic Pain Champions |