Being in pain implies you are anxious or depressed. Psychological treatments offer non-medical methods of chronic pain management. Based on the views of various psychologists, to treat chronic pain, you should address its emotional and psychological aspects.
As medical practitioners and patients worry about the effect of painkillers, therapists are finding ways to treat pain psychologically. Unfortunately, over the past two decades, there has been a noticeable increase in the abuse of painkillers.
Modern-day patients are aware of the repercussions of painkillers, and that’s why they are opting for psychological therapies. As a result, therapists and psychologists are an integral part of pain treatment programs. Usually, medicine is the first port of call to manage pain.
However, when medicine fails to show the desired results, people can opt for psychological treatment. For example, when you’re in pain, it is normal to have feelings of anger, despair, and sadness. In addition, pain can alter your personality and habits.
Chronic pain psychology offers safe and non-drug methods to treat pain by decreasing high psychological stress levels. It also helps improve the indirect effect of pain by assisting you in learning the subtle ways to address chronic pain. Here are some ways in which a psychologist can treat chronic pain.
Types of Psychological Treatments for Pain
A large part of psychological treatment for pain is education and awareness. It assists patients in gaining skills to manage a wide variety of pain-related issues. Here are some common psychological treatment procedures you should know.
- Relaxation training
- Proper management of stress
- Talk therapy
- Pain coping skills training
Each psychological treatment has its own set of benefits. For instance, talk therapy helps you to get the support and counselling services of a psychologist or psychiatrist. Talk therapy usually relies on the patient’s cognitive factors.
Note that relaxation training allows you to enter a deep relaxation state associated with healing. On the other hand, in pain coping skills training, you can discover how to adapt your life to pain.
Psychological Tips for Coping with Pain
Here are some psychological tips on which you can manage the pain.
- Stay Active
Pain or the mere fear of pain can create barriers in your daily activities. Hence, it is important to stay active and not let pain take the upper hand.
- Exercise
Psychologists would usually advise you to exercise a lot to manage chronic pain. You can opt for low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, etc.
- Socialise
Social connections can reduce your chronic pain effectively. You can also indulge in social activities to keep your mind distracted.
- Be aware of your Limits
You should know your limitations while dealing with chronic pain. Moreover, develop a plan on how you can manage your pain.
Relaxation Therapy in Chronic Pain Management
In conjunction with other treatment modalities, relaxation can assume a large number of forms. With relaxation therapies, psychologists can reduce the overall impact of stress on your body. Chronic pain results in the occurrence of a large number of biochemical changes.
Moreover, massage therapy is also crucial in helping patients address pain and trauma. Massage therapy has been around for a long to treat chronic pain. Even the reduction of psychological stress can help in the effective management of chronic pain.
Suffering from pain is usually stressful. Unfortunately, stress can contribute to a wide range of health issues. From high blood pressure to heart diseases, stress is responsible for causing a large number of illnesses. You can opt for the consultations of psychologists to address chronic pain in your body. Many psychologists rely on biofeedback to control a specific number of body functions.
If you are looking for a psychologist who specializes in chronic pain, the team at Resolve Pain Clinic can help. Our psychologists have years of experience helping people manage their chronic pain and improve their quality of life.
