Chronic pain is more than a physical condition. It is also a physical, psychological, and neurological condition. More than 25% of Americans suffer from this condition. There are many causes of chronic pain. It can be caused by long-term pain from an old accident or injury. It can be associated with long-term medical conditions like arthritis or cancer. People can also suffer from chronic pain without the presence of an injury or illness.
It can be hard to understand chronic pain if you are not suffering from the condition. One misconception is that a sufferer of chronic pain is exaggerating their symptoms or “faking” their pain. If you have a friend or relative who suffers from chronic pain, here are some ways you can support your loved one and help them cope with their condition.
Understanding The Effects Of Chronic Pain
The effects of long-term chronic pain usually worsen over time. If your loved one is suffering from chronic pain, they may feel isolated due to limited mobility from the pain. It can impact their ability to work and get around on their own. This can make it challenging to maintain significant connections in their lives. Many times, persistent chronic pain can lead to depression, anxiety, and trouble sleeping, which worsens the symptoms of chronic pain.
How Can You Help?
Maintaining positive relationships with friends and family is key to successfully managing chronic pain. But it may not be easy for your loved one to ask for help. Here are some tips on how you can help your loved one cope with their chronic pain.
Listen to your loved one
One of the most helpful things you can do for your loved one who is suffering from chronic pain is to be a good listener. Let go of any preconceived notions or assumptions you may have about the condition. Listen without judgment and try to empathize with your loved one. You don’t have to cure their chronic pain. Just being available for your relative or friend so they can vent will provide them with emotional relief.
Pay attention to non-verbal cues
While listening to your family member or friend, look for signs of severe pain, sweating, irritability, sleep disturbances, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, decreased activity, and suicidal thoughts. Chronic pain sufferers often become accustomed to these negative feelings and do not realize their significance. If you notice your loved one is showing these negative feelings, suggest that they let their doctor know.
Respect physical limitations
You won’t know exactly how your loved one feels or the extent of their pain. Believe them when they say they need a break or a day off. Sufferers of chronic pain can be active or mobile one day and be in pain the next day and need to recuperate. If your loved one says they need to rest, lay or sit down, or take medication, listen and be patient with them.
Continue to include your loved one
Continue inviting your relative or friend to social events. Even if they repeatedly cancel, it’s important to continue to encourage them to attend. Chronic pain can be isolating, and sometimes just being asked or invited is enough motivation to try to be as mobile as possible.
Pay attention to depression symptoms
Chronic pain is often accompanied by secondary depression. Depression can cause your loved one to hide their pain, mask their emotions, or isolate themselves. Talk about any depression symptoms you notice with them. Offer them love, support, and understanding. Encourage your relative or friend to mention depression symptoms to their doctor.
Offer to help out
Symptoms of chronic pain can vary from one day to the next. Your loved one may need help completing a task that they were able to do with ease before and then be able to do it on their own again at a different time. Offer to help with tasks such as cooking, housework, shopping, picking up medication, or attending appointments with your loved one. Offering to help with tasks instead of completing the task for them is more valuable and eliminates the possibility of enabling your loved one.
Maintaining open communication about how your loved one is feeling and what they are going through will help you to better understand them. Assure your relative or friend that you are there to support them however they need you to.
Be positive
Positive thinking is helpful for chronic pain sufferers. They often worry about the extent of their pain, which negatively impacts their condition. Remain outwardly positive about things when you can. Help your loved one be hopeful and help them build confidence. Don’t dismiss their feelings or invalidate their experience if they are feeling negative. Actively listen to what your loved one is saying or struggling with, and gently encourage positivity where appropriate.
Be encouraging
Encouraging your loved one to incorporate or maintain healthy habits is a positive way for them to take care of themselves and help minimize pain. Offer to go shopping with them, plan meals or cook together. Help your friend or relative stay active by going on walks, swimming, or the gym together. The gym can be intimidating for chronic pain sufferers, so support your loved one by staying positive and encouraging them to do a 5 or 10-minute walk on the treadmill or a few minutes on the exercise bike. It’s also important to show understanding and support if they are unable to do much more than that or cannot complete 5 or 10 minutes of exercise. Light exercise in any capacity is beneficial for sufferers of chronic pain.
If your loved one attends therapy of any kind, encourage them to keep their appointments even if they don’t feel like going. Offer to go with them or meet them somewhere near the location of their therapy appointment afterward. Help your friend or relative be proactive with any techniques they learned by discussing them if they feel comfortable and helping them complete any at-home physical therapy exercises.
Encourage your loved one to take their medication as prescribed and to engage with the treatment as directed by their doctor. Staying on a regular medication management schedule is critical in managing chronic pain.
You may not be able to help your loved one with their physical symptoms of chronic pain, but by simply supporting them through their pain, it can make all the difference in helping them cope.
Recovia is a program that helps patients build confidence in believing they can recover from their injuries using effective pain management strategies. We are an evidence-based, multidisciplinary intensive outpatient program that offers behavioral medicine, physical therapy, medication management, detox, nutrition, and recovery-based yoga all under one roof. Recovia is more than addiction, substance use, and pain - it’s about helping you as an individual function as a whole. No labels, just a comprehensive plan to get you back to your best.
If you or a loved one suffers from chronic pain, call 480-771-0378.
