HOW TO SURVIVE CHRONIC PAIN
1
ACCEPT THE PAIN
Learn all you can about your physical condition.
Understand that there may be
no current cure
and accept
that you
will need to
deal with the fact
of pain in your life.
2
GET INVOLVED
Take an active role in your own recovery.
Follow your doctor's advice
and
ask what
you can do to move
from a passive role into one
of partnership
in
your own
health care.
3
LEARN TO SET PRIORITIES
Look beyond your pain
to the things
that are
important in your life.
List the
things
that you would
like to do.
Setting priorities can help you
find a starting
point to lead you
back into a more active life.
4
SET REALISTIC GOALS
We all walk before we run.
Set goals that are within your power
to
accomplish or break a larger goal
down into manageable steps.
And take
time to enjoy your successes.
5
KNOW YOUR BASIC RIGHTS
We all have basic rights.
Among these are the right to
be
treated with
respect,
to say no without guilt,
to do less than
humanly possible,
to make
mistakes,
and to not
need to
justify your decisions
with words or pain.
6
RECOGNIZE EMOTIONS
Our bodies and minds are one.
Emotions directly affect physical well
being.
By acknowledging and dealing with your feelings,
you can reduce
stress
and decrease
the pain you feel.
7
LEARN TO RELAX
Pain increases in times of stress.
Relaxation exercises are one way
of reclaiming control of your body.
Deep breathing, visualization,
and other
relaxation techniques
can help you to better manage
the pain you live with.
8
EXERCISE
Most people with chronic pain
fear exercise.
But unused muscles feel more pain
than toned, flexible
ones.
With your doctor,
identify a modest
exercise
program that you can do safely.
As you
build strength, your pain will decrease.
You'll feel better about yourself, too.
9
SEE THE TOTAL PICTURE
As you learn to set priorities,
reach goals, assert your basic rights,
deal
with your feelings,
relax, and regain
control
of your body,
you will see that
pain
does not need to be
the center of your life.
You can choose to focus on your abilities,
not our disabilities.
You will grow stronger
in your belief
that
you can live a normal life
in spite of chronic pain.
10
REACH OUT
It is estimated that one person in three
suffers with some form of chronic
pain.
Once you have begun to find ways
to manage your chronic pain
problem,
reach out and share what you know.
Living with chronic pain is an
ongoing
learning experience. We all support and learn from each other.