Do you suffer from chronic pain? Doesn’t it get frustrating, feeling like you have these new limitations? Do you find that, since the pain started, you don’t feel like yourself? Are you finding yourself more emotional, depressed, even hopeless when you consider your situation. These are very normal (though unfortunate) results of living with chronic pain. But don’t give up yet…there are treatments you may not have considered. For instance, did you know that a large number of people living with chronic pain develop depressive symptoms? And, these depressive symptoms can make the pain and coping with it that much worse? It’s true. So, don’t give up hope. Seeking psychotherapy (or psychiatric medication treatment) for your symptoms may actually reduce some of the pain sensations. And in talking about how you are adjusting, coping, and living you might find better ways of functioning. Now, this doesn’t mean that the pain is “all in your head,” just that the way we feel physically can be affected by our mood and emotions. And, this also doesn’t mean that psychotherapy can make your physical pain go away…just that it can ease the pain, help you develop new coping skills, aid you in managing your emotional distress, and show you ways of adjusting to the lifestyle that chronic pain has imposed. When people get married, have kids, retire, or go through over life changes there are expected periods of adjustment…and adjusting to chronic pain is no different. It’s just harder…because you didn’t ask for it, look forward to it, or have an easy way of explaining why the pain has made your life better. To learn more about techniques to manage pain and its effects on your mood and lifestyle, contact Dr. Giardina at 305-445-0477 to set up an appointment (or refer to http://www.coralgablescounseling.com/).
