We’ve all struggled with some degree of pain. Maybe right now you’re dealing with a crippling headache, or something more persistent like chronic pain. Or it could be more acute, like recovering from major surgery.
In those moments of agony, the pain can seem overwhelming…like there’s no way out. We’re desperate for any sign of comfort — hoping we could almostthinkthe pain away. But what if we could? Is it possible to control pain using just your thoughts?
Can You Manage Pain With Your Mind?
The short answer is yes. Using certain techniques, itisactually possible to alleviate some forms of pain with our minds.
Christine Tolman is a licensed clinical professional counselor and Talkspace therapist based in Idaho. She explains: “There is a great deal of evidence that suggests we can control our pain level with our thoughts. How we view our pain and how it impacts our everyday life can alter the way that it impacts us.”
Of course, it’s not as simple asthinkingyour pain away. The degree to which you can alleviate your pain depends on the type of pain you’re experiencing, and the technique you use.
Only Certain Kinds Of Pain Can Be Controlled With Your Mind
It’s first worth noting that notallkinds of pain can be tackled with our minds. Acute pain and chronic pain can, however, be addressed with your thoughts, Tolman says.
TheCDCestimates that 20.4% of US adults live with chronic pain. AndSTAT reports thatthe most significant drivers in chronic pain are migraines, arthritis, and nerve damage — as well as emotional trauma.
Jeannie Sperry, a psychologist who specialises in pain rehabilitationat the Mayo Clinic, said that it’s rare for people to have chronic painwithoutalso having anxiety or depression.
“Often times, a person who experiences chronic pain will report that this pain becomes a part of their identity,” Tolman says. “Therapeutic techniques can alter how one views themselves as a person with pain. It can also alter how they view the limitations of their pain and the day-to-day impact of it.”
These Are The Mental Techniques That Work On Pain
Tolman says that “certain therapeutic techniques have been shown to decrease reports of pain or the intensity of pain.”
So what are some of the methods or approaches? The techniques include cognitive behavioral therapy,acceptance and commitment therapy, andeye movement desensitization and reprocessing.
A2017 review published in the Annals of Behavioural Medicinefound that “mindfulness meditation improves pain and depression symptoms.” But it concluded that more research is needed to provide a decisive estimation of just how much it can affect chronic pain.
How Exactly Do These Techniques Work?
Tolman points out that these therapeutic techniques can be effective but they don’terasepain.
“Rather, they alter the way that the brain perceives pain which can lead to a decrease in reports of pain levels,” she explains. “They can also change how a person views their identity as a person with chronic pain, or alter the perception of the impact the pain has on their everyday lives.”
It’s all about changing how we perceive pain.
Changing Your Thought Patterns Could Alleviate Pain
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)is a type of talk therapy that helps you become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking. It allows you to look at difficult situations more clearly, and respond in a more effective way.
CBT is the most common psychological intervention for people living with chronic pain, according to astudy published in the Medicine (Baltimore) journal in 2018.
There is increasing evidence that forms of CBT are effective in managing chronic pain,according to a 2017 review in The Journal of Pain.
Tolman explains how CBT might be working on pain: “CBT focuses on your thoughts and actions, and how they are related. For example, if a person with chronic pain continues to focus on their previous level of functioning, and maybe the “why me?” thoughts, they are more likely to experience higher levels of pain. By changing those thoughts into focusing on the current level of functioning, and maybe engaging in activity that supports that level of functioning, they are more likely to experience decreased pain levels.”
Find The Approach That’s Right For You — But Don’t Expect Magic
“I tend to think of these techniques as similar to flavors in an ice cream store,”she writes. “Depending on your mood, you might want a different flavor of ice cream — or a different technique. Practising a combination of mind-body skills increases the effectiveness of pain relief.”
Tolman cautions that these approaches don’t provide a miraculous solution.
“There is no one pill that is going to work for everyone, and this is certainly not magic. Typically you can’t do one session and be completely pain free. It takes work, and it takes a great deal of mental control.”
So if you struggle with pain, chronic or otherwise, this growing body of evidence and expert insight should give you hope.
Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.
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