Acceptance commitment therapy for pain. I just came across this. Take a look. Inspired me.

[rowantree]

svenskapsykologiinstitutet....

Also SuperBetter is worth a look- good to aid in goal setting. Goals.

[Hidden]

Hello

Bob here I read a report regarding this several years ago, that is why I have the belief that medications have a part in pain, a persons unproductive chronic pain. This reading has its merits, although it needs to be taken in context with the the patients feelings and trust they have with those who help manage their pain. It has been known that in context the get a grip feelings that society has regarding pain has a deep and phycological feeling to those who suffer and they also in turn assist in the negative thoughts associated in mindfulness and strength the paient has in their own condition

All the best

BOB

[Hidden]

Have only read up to Willingness to experience pain when living life.

Its exactly how I see it - if I don't do anything I have pain, so if I do something I will still have pain, it maybe worse for a while but I willl have happiness and satisfaction from doing something.

It is only pain.

Got stopped in my tracks today Delboy and Rodney (triggers in my buttocks) having a super arguement because I've overdone the housework.

Rotating resting and exercising to calm it down. Didn't expect it to happen, but kitchen looks and smells very fresh! It will only remain that way for a couple more hours as my daughters are returning from holiday today.

[thenunn in reply to Hidden]

My view as well pain if I do Pain if I dont so would rather do and enjoy life :))

[teadrinker]

I think that you have to be ready and at a point to accept any difficult situation or to make changes to adapt to something that you would rather not have but have to have in your life, like chronic pain. I was told quite often that I'd just have to live with it, or to try and "accept it," or to read books about accepting it, and for a long time all I wanted to do was throttle the person or throw the book. Yes, life feels more comfortable now that I have accepted it, but it doesn't stop me wanting the pain to go forever or occasionally indulging in a little self-pity or straw clutching.

But in the game of trying to shift chronic pain we try so many things - medication, alternative therapies, - so I would suggest that people keep an open mind and try whatever they need to.

[thenunn in reply to teadrinker]

teadrinker I think everyone indulges in 'self pity and straw clutching' some time whatever their life situation its just being human the trick for me is to accept that too and bring myself back to all the good I have and how lucky I am..works for me (most of the time,sometimes it takes a while lol )

[thenunn]

I liked this report another tool for my box. Being present,here now,is one of my favourites it reminds me to look around at the beauty I see and its humbling reminding myself there is always someone worse off ..and if I have to repeat to myself many times whilst out walking then so be it..it works for me lol :))

[Hidden]

Can't wait to read the whole thing. We need more info like this. And more studies too.

Being present and just being are things we have lost in our busy lifestyles.

I do a lot of just being, after the storm, we had a family of 15 butterflies appear. I sat on the wall with them fluttering around me, just being, enjoying the flash of colour, the scent of the flowers they were feeding from, feeling the warmth of the sun on me. Just being part of nature. To outsiders I probably looked weird, or lazy or odd, but concentrating on all those things gave me 20 mins or so where the pain was not my first thought.

The pain gradually re entered my thoughts after about another 20 mins. Its by no means a permanent pain loss, nor is it always sucessful, it does depend on the type of pain, but if you do it often enough you soon learn to read your body and know what to do when.

As for acceptance, when there is nobody or nothing to blame, then the only option is to accept it, or live a life fueled by constant what ifs. In life good and bad things happen, the way we deal with them has a huge bearing on our ability to cope long term.

Most peoples lives are not as smooth running as they let us think it is, ours are just a bit harder because we have pain in the equation.

[teadrinker]

I am having another read of this article. Wow, it is quite a radical move to declare, as they did in Sweden, that the best thing a doctor can give for chronic pain is nothing! I think perhaps that "nothing" is the wrong word, and that there is always "something" that can be done about chronic pain. But certainly the "something" may well not be medication or a health intervention, but support, advice, education or a change in the pain sufferer's thinking about the pain, or taking part in activities that might invoke some pain but still bring a great deal of pleasure.

The problem with taking this approach is how we view health and illness. As patients we are usually given medication first of all and told, "take this, it will make you better". Then when it doesn't we feel let down. Chronic pain is often treated by the medical profession (if they are not pain specialists) and lay-people alike in the way that an acute illness is viewed in that there is a problem therefore there must be a quick, medicinal solution.If I had seen this artical a few years ago it would have made me angry, but I'm now at the point where I can agree or disagree with aspects of it quite rationally.

If someone tells us there is no medicinal, surgical or physical cure for the pain we may start to think we are being told "it's all in your mind". True, our attitude to our pain will impact on how we cope with it, but to think you are being told (and on occasions in my case to be actually told) it's a figment of your imagination and made-up can lead people to be very wary of so-called talking therapies or mindfullness.

This is a huge shame because such things can work, either on their own or alongside medication etc. Getting over to people that there are many ways to cope with pain is a huge problem, not only for sufferers who could be missing out on a way to feel better, but also for non-sufferers who may see someone in pain working / continuing with hobbies and think they are malingering.

Straw-clutching is a part of human nature, and without a bit of hope life would be very bleak indeed.

I have recently developed some new pain in my fingers. I allowed myself a quick, "Oh what NOW!" but I have decided that I will not and cannot stop typing / writing / playing the piano / knitting (yeah, I have such exciting hobbies!) and after my holiday I will buy one of those wrist supports for my computer keyboard, rather than just put up with it and feel sorry for myself.

Some days are harder but over all I am lucky. At the risk of sounding really up myself, I think that the pain has made me a nicer person and more appreciative of the little things that matter. I used to be a whirlwind. Now I am forced to sit down more often and just day dream, and I have to admit that this is actually quite a positive side effect.

[rowantree]

Teadrinker I agree. The article would've made me angry a year or so ago too. Perhaps I'm getting nearer to acceptance. But then I'm still on the 'maybe the next operation will cure it' circuit!