Emotional Pain Can Accompany Physical Pain

We at Kairos Chronic Pain Coaching know that persistent pain affects every aspect of your life, including your mental health. That’s why in addition to applying the most effective treatments for your case, we are mindful and sympathetic to the harmful psychological affects that can accompany it.

Patients are sometimes so focused on alleviating their physical aches that they neglect to address the emotional effects of their chronic pain. Your mental state can exacerbate your physical pain, making it even more difficult to manage.

Symptoms of depression include persistent feelings of sadness, an inability to concentrate, appetite changes, self-isolation and low self-worth. The pain also makes you withdraw from activities and isolate yourself from loved ones.

Insomnia wreaks havoc on your moods and prompts you to nap frequently instead of engaging with others. Trouble sleeping adversely impacts every aspect of your life, including concentration, digestion, memory, fitness and relationships.

You worry about why you’re in pain, how you’ll pay your bills, when you’ll see your doctor, if you’ll keep your job…. The pain keeps you up at night, and you might obsess over what-if scenarios. You fear that the pain will never go away or if it’s actually a symptom of another serious illness. People sometimes even wonder if they’re overreacting or if their pain is psychosomatic.

Fatigue is different from being tired. Feeling tired can be fixed by resting; feeling fatigued can’t, and if anything, resting might worsen the feeling. You’re so focused on appearing “normal” that you mentally exhaust yourself.

Guilt is one of the most insidious mental side effects of chronic pain. It may stem from your inability to partake in everyday activities, such as playing with your child or working for more than a few hours a day. Chronic pain prevents you from participating in activities that most people take for granted, such as socializing, working and exercising. You might blame yourself for no longer being able to engage with the world.

Let Kairos Chronic Pain Coaching lessen and/or relieve your physical pain so you needn’t suffer with the emotional anguish. And follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.