Thoughts and emotions impact physical pain.
| Health tips: The power of thoughts and emotions | | | Dear Reader,
Did you know that thinking negative thoughts and experiencing negative emotions can amplify pain and make things hurt more?
Zeroing in on the negative aspects of life is part of human nature. We are all prone to pay greater attention to and remember more vividly the bad things that happen to us. If you live with chronic pain, negative thoughts can come up more frequently and make it difficult to find enjoyment in much of anything. Common thoughts about pain that make it worse include: I’m just so tired of all this. Pain will prevent me from being able to do the things I enjoy. I am going to suffer for a long time. My pain is going to worsen, there is nothing I can do. Does any of this sound like you? | If so, know that thinking this way is understandable. Most people would feel unhappy or discouraged if confronted with similar challenges. But just because it’s understandable doesn’t mean that it’s helpful. In fact, the more you speak, think, act and engage with others in a negative or unhelpful way, the more you’re feeding your pain. In other words, thoughts can worsen pain and suffering.
Doing things you enjoy, increasing your social connection, talking less about pain and positive self-talk are concrete strategies you can use to separate yourself from negative thoughts, emotions and actions.
Positive self-talk The goal of positive self-talk is to transform the way you look at yourself so that it becomes a positive and helpful approach rather than a negative and unhelpful one. The process is straightforward, but it takes time and practice to master.
The first step is to become more aware of your thoughts in general. Throughout the day, stop and evaluate what you’re telling yourself. You might be surprised by the things you’re saying.
When you catch yourself thinking a negative thought, look at it objectively.
Challenge it. Is it true? Find a way to put a positive or more helpful spin on it. Respond with a more balanced thought that will help you feel better about yourself. And don’t say to yourself anything that you wouldn’t say to someone else.
The point is not to always think happy thoughts but rather to examine the things you’re telling yourself and begin to recognize patterns of thinking as they occur during periods of pain and struggle.
Shifting your thought process to a more balanced approach can help you create distance from your pain and help you feel better physically, mentally and emotionally. |
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Free yourself from chronic pain
| | Whether you’ve lived with chronic pain for years or have recently been diagnosed, this book can provide you with the information and tools to minimize and manage your pain. | | Get this resource |
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