Many of those on Long Island are struggling with Chronic Pain. While pain is something that benefits from medical attention and treatment, it also has a mental health component. Ongoing pain affects emotional health, day to day functioning, and creates a cycle of stress and distress that intensifies the pain response.
Those that are struggling from chronic pain may want to consider partnering any medical treatment they receive with psychotherapy. While the pain is absolutely real, there is a mental health component to pain that can help with the management and recovery process – provided you connect with a therapist that can help.
The Link Between Chronic Pain and Mental Health
Chronic pain doesn’t exist in isolation. When you live with pain day after day, it changes the way you think, feel, and interact with the world around you. This happens for a few important reasons:
- Pain and the Brain Are Connected – Your brain doesn’t just receive pain signals – it interprets them. Stress, anxiety, depression, and fear can all amplify the way your brain processes pain, making it feel more intense. This doesn’t mean the pain isn’t real. It means that your emotional state can influence how much pain you experience.
- Chronic Pain Often Leads to Depression and Anxiety – Living with constant pain can be exhausting and isolating. Many people with chronic pain develop depression or anxiety as a result of their limitations, loss of independence, or inability to do things they used to enjoy.
- Pain Can Create a Cycle of Avoidance – When something hurts, it’s natural to want to avoid it. But over time, avoiding activities because of pain can lead to deconditioning, increased disability, and a smaller world. This avoidance can actually make pain worse and harder to manage.
Therapy helps break these cycles by addressing the psychological and behavioral aspects of chronic pain – not to cure the pain itself, but to reduce its impact on your life.
What Therapy for Chronic Pain Looks Like
Therapy for chronic pain doesn’t focus on convincing you that your pain isn’t real or that you should just “think positively.” Instead, it uses evidence-based strategies to help you manage pain more effectively and improve your quality of life.
Here are some of the ways therapy can help:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Pain – CBT helps you identify and change thought patterns that may be making your pain worse. For example, catastrophic thinking (e.g., “This pain will never get better” or “I can’t do anything anymore”) can increase pain intensity and reduce your ability to cope. CBT teaches you how to reframe these thoughts and develop more helpful ways of thinking about your pain.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – ACT focuses on helping you live a meaningful life even in the presence of pain. Rather than fighting against pain or waiting for it to go away before you can do the things you care about, ACT teaches you how to accept pain as part of your experience while still pursuing your values and goals.
- Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques – Chronic pain often comes with muscle tension, stress, and heightened sensitivity to pain signals. Mindfulness practices and relaxation techniques can help calm your nervous system, reduce tension, and change the way you relate to your pain.
- Behavioral Activation – Many people with chronic pain reduce their activity levels because they’re afraid of making the pain worse. Therapy can help you gradually re-engage in activities in a way that’s safe and manageable, which can improve physical function, mood, and overall quality of life.
You and your therapist will work together to determine what approach is going to be best for you based on your symptoms and personality. We can also work on supplementary things, like finding the motivation to seek further medical treatments, and more.
Why People with Chronic Pain Benefit from Therapy
You may still be wondering, “But will therapy actually help my pain?” The research says yes – but not in the way you might expect.
Therapy won’t necessarily eliminate your pain, but it can:
- Reduce Pain Intensity – By addressing stress, anxiety, and negative thought patterns, therapy can lower the volume of pain signals your brain processes.
- Improve Your Ability To Function – Even if your pain doesn’t go away completely, therapy can help you do more of the things that matter to you, whether that’s working, spending time with family, or pursuing hobbies.
- Reduce emotional distress – Living with chronic pain can be emotionally overwhelming. Therapy helps you manage the anxiety, depression, and frustration that often accompany chronic pain.
- Give you a sense of control – Chronic pain can make you feel powerless. Therapy teaches you skills and strategies that help you feel more in control of your life, even when you can’t control the pain itself.
Therapy may not replace medical care, but it can augment it in ways that are absolutely beneficial for improving your overall quality of life, and potentially even decrease the perception of the pain itself.
When Should You Consider Therapy for Chronic Pain?
You don’t have to wait until you’re in a crisis to see a therapist for chronic pain. Therapy can be helpful at any stage of your pain journey, whether you’ve been living with pain for months or for years.
Consider therapy if:
- Your pain is affecting your mood – If you’re feeling depressed, anxious, or hopeless because of your pain, therapy can help.
- You’re avoiding activities because of pain – If fear of pain is keeping you from doing things you used to do, a therapist can help you gradually re-engage in a safe way.
- You feel stuck or frustrated with your treatment – If you’ve tried multiple treatments and still feel like you’re not making progress, therapy can offer new tools and perspectives.
- Your pain is affecting your relationships – Chronic pain can strain relationships with family, friends, and partners. Therapy can help you navigate these challenges and improve communication.
Chronic pain is complex, and managing it effectively requires more than just treating the physical symptoms. By addressing the psychological and emotional aspects of pain, therapy can help you reduce suffering, improve function, and reclaim parts of your life that pain has taken away.
You deserve support that addresses all aspects of your pain – not just your body, but your mind and emotions as well. If you’re living with chronic pain and feel like you could benefit from additional support, please reach out today. Let’s talk about how therapy can help you live better, even in the presence of pain. Reach out today to get started.