Tips for Educating Your Family & Friends About Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is the most common cause of long-term disability and a major contributor to health care costs in the United States. As Western North Carolina’s leading pain care provider, we believe in educating not only our patients on their chronic pain, but also the family and friends around them.
Managing chronic pain is difficult for many different reasons. Having the proper support from family and friends offers a huge potential for improved quality of life! With the holidays upon us and family gatherings right around the corner, it’s a great time to educate your loved ones about chronic pain and ways they can help. Whether it’s emotional support or physical assistance, many family members want to help, but just don’t know how!
Read on to get the Comprehensive Pain Consultant of the Carolina’s, an Asheville Pain Relief Center, top tips for educating your family and friends about chronic pain.
Share Knowledge
It’s hard for those who’ve never dealt with any form of long-term pain to grasp just how much you’re suffering. The only way to shed light on your condition is to communicate! Often times it’s not just the physical hurt but also a variety of other negative side-effects that have an impact on your life:
Mood changes
Depression
Sleep impairment
Increased stress levels
Loss of focus/memory
Express how you feel, what your daily life is like, and in which ways you are in need of support from the people around you.
Expand your Support System
Attending pain support group sessions are beneficial for many reasons. Not only does it help to reduce feelings of isolation, but they’re also a great place to share resources. These support groups allow you to surround yourself with people who have similar ailments and experiences.
Another great perk of joining a pain support group is that it gives you the opportunity to help others. While you may join initially for yourself, chances are you’ll end up having a lasting impact on another member and change their life for the better, too!
On top of support groups, seeing a pain psychologist in Asheville is another option for expanding your support system. We have experts available to help you cope with thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that accompany chronic pain.
Self-Compassion
It’s easy for us to be compassionate towards others while at the same time finding it challenging to apply that same amount of kindness to ourselves. Not everyone around you is going to understand your chronic pain, so it’s crucial to give yourself grace. Self-compassion will improve your well-being, build self-confidence, and increase resilience. Here are just a few tips to build self-compassion:
Sharpen your coping skills
Journaling
Meditating
Taking time to do what you love
Asheville Pain Relief Center
Chronic pain does not exist in a vacuum; caregivers, family, friends, and loved ones are all affected. Education can help improve communication and reduce the feeling of frustration on all sides. Our Asheville pain doctors are here to help you gain control of your life. Give us a call today!
Get in touch with us by calling 828-483-4438
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