Summary
- Behavioral therapies are important in pain management.
- Studies show mindfulness therapies and exercises help.
- Social networks, the arts, and hobbies also support behavioral health.
Pain is both physical and emotional. Illness and injury make people feel both pain and bad emotions, like fear or worry. This makes people stop and pay attention. Usually, these feelings go away. But sometimes pain becomes chronic. When this happens, people must address the emotional part of pain.
Behavioral therapies
Behavioral therapies are ways to treat the emotional part of pain. Behavioral health professionals can help you find the right therapies for you.
One therapy is psychotherapy. Psychologists and psychiatrists help people talk about their lives. Sessions are private or in groups. The goal is to help people find connections between pain and other problems. They can make changes for better emotional health.
A common approach is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Cognitive refers to thinking. Behavioral refers to actions. CBT helps people learn:
- How their feelings, thoughts, and behavior affect pain
- To identify maladaptive—unhelpful—patterns of thought and behavior
- To find adaptive—helpful—patterns of thought and behavior
This helps people successfully deal with pain in healthy ways that increase function.
Mindfulness is another useful tool. It means paying attention to the present moment on purpose and without judgment. It reduces stress, worry, pain, and sadness. It makes people more content and productive. Mindfulness practices are activities or habits that help us pay attention to our bodies, thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Meditation is the most popular mindfulness practice.
Basic meditation is simple but tricky. Sit somewhere quiet and comfortable, and clear your mind. It is hard to think about nothing. Our minds wander. They chatter. We think about the past and the future. Luckily, there are practices that help focus our attention on the present.
Breathing exercises can be used alone or as a tool for meditation. Many of us breathe quickly and shallowly. Breathing exercises focus on taking long, deep breaths and letting them out slowly. Focusing on breathing can help us clear our minds while meditating. When our minds wander, we can move our attention back to our breath.
Guided imagery or meditation is another option. A guide will talk you through a meditation practice. You may pay attention to your breathing or feelings. You may think of certain places. You only have to focus on what the guide is saying.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a type of meditation. MBSR mixes mindfulness and yoga. In studies, MSBR helped people with pain be more active and use less medicine.
In biofeedback, sensors on your body send information to a computer about your breathing or muscle tightness. A therapist will help you see how stress affects your body. Then you can learn to use relaxation practices. This seems to help with headaches and chronic pain.
Hypnosis is another useful therapy. Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation. It uses focus and relaxation. You can learn self-hypnosis or go to a therapist. Studies show one session of hypnosis helps pain for hours.
Exercise reduces pain and relieves stress. Look for exercises that are mindful and use gentle movement. These can help you build strength and flexibility. Some examples of helpful exercises are:
- Yoga
- Mindful practice of breathing, moving, stretching, and posing
- Many different kinds
- Pilates
- Stretching with or without special equipment
- Focus on breath, core strength, flexibility, and standing properly
- Tai chi
- Known as moving meditation
- Ancient Chinese system of breathing and moving
- A slow martial art
- Qi gong
- Chinese exercise system using focus, breathing, and moving
- Goal: balance in the body and mind
Spending time with and talking with people is important for our well-being. Studies show that people with strong social networks report less pain than other people. Make time to visit with friends and family members.
The following practices can also be good for pain management:
- Art and music therapy
- Pet or animal therapy
- Developing hobbies
Summary
- Behavioral therapies are important in pain management.
- Studies show mindfulness therapies and exercises help.
- Social networks, the arts, and hobbies also support behavioral health.
Pain is both physical and emotional. Illness and injury make people feel both pain and bad emotions, like fear or worry. This makes people stop and pay attention. Usually, these feelings go away. But sometimes pain becomes chronic. When this happens, people must address the emotional part of pain.
Behavioral therapies
Behavioral therapies are ways to treat the emotional part of pain. Behavioral health professionals can help you find the right therapies for you.
One therapy is psychotherapy. Psychologists and psychiatrists help people talk about their lives. Sessions are private or in groups. The goal is to help people find connections between pain and other problems. They can make changes for better emotional health.
A common approach is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Cognitive refers to thinking. Behavioral refers to actions. CBT helps people learn:
- How their feelings, thoughts, and behavior affect pain
- To identify maladaptive—unhelpful—patterns of thought and behavior
- To find adaptive—helpful—patterns of thought and behavior
This helps people successfully deal with pain in healthy ways that increase function.
Mindfulness is another useful tool. It means paying attention to the present moment on purpose and without judgment. It reduces stress, worry, pain, and sadness. It makes people more content and productive. Mindfulness practices are activities or habits that help us pay attention to our bodies, thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Meditation is the most popular mindfulness practice.
Basic meditation is simple but tricky. Sit somewhere quiet and comfortable, and clear your mind. It is hard to think about nothing. Our minds wander. They chatter. We think about the past and the future. Luckily, there are practices that help focus our attention on the present.
Breathing exercises can be used alone or as a tool for meditation. Many of us breathe quickly and shallowly. Breathing exercises focus on taking long, deep breaths and letting them out slowly. Focusing on breathing can help us clear our minds while meditating. When our minds wander, we can move our attention back to our breath.
Guided imagery or meditation is another option. A guide will talk you through a meditation practice. You may pay attention to your breathing or feelings. You may think of certain places. You only have to focus on what the guide is saying.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a type of meditation. MBSR mixes mindfulness and yoga. In studies, MSBR helped people with pain be more active and use less medicine.
In biofeedback, sensors on your body send information to a computer about your breathing or muscle tightness. A therapist will help you see how stress affects your body. Then you can learn to use relaxation practices. This seems to help with headaches and chronic pain.
Hypnosis is another useful therapy. Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation. It uses focus and relaxation. You can learn self-hypnosis or go to a therapist. Studies show one session of hypnosis helps pain for hours.
Exercise reduces pain and relieves stress. Look for exercises that are mindful and use gentle movement. These can help you build strength and flexibility. Some examples of helpful exercises are:
- Yoga
- Mindful practice of breathing, moving, stretching, and posing
- Many different kinds
- Pilates
- Stretching with or without special equipment
- Focus on breath, core strength, flexibility, and standing properly
- Tai chi
- Known as moving meditation
- Ancient Chinese system of breathing and moving
- A slow martial art
- Qi gong
- Chinese exercise system using focus, breathing, and moving
- Goal: balance in the body and mind
Spending time with and talking with people is important for our well-being. Studies show that people with strong social networks report less pain than other people. Make time to visit with friends and family members.
The following practices can also be good for pain management:
- Art and music therapy
- Pet or animal therapy
- Developing hobbies
Summary
- Behavioral therapies are important in pain management.
- Studies show mindfulness therapies and exercises help.
- Social networks, the arts, and hobbies also support behavioral health.
Pain is both physical and emotional. Illness and injury make people feel both pain and bad emotions, like fear or worry. This makes people stop and pay attention. Usually, these feelings go away. But sometimes pain becomes chronic. When this happens, people must address the emotional part of pain.
Behavioral therapies
Behavioral therapies are ways to treat the emotional part of pain. Behavioral health professionals can help you find the right therapies for you.
One therapy is psychotherapy. Psychologists and psychiatrists help people talk about their lives. Sessions are private or in groups. The goal is to help people find connections between pain and other problems. They can make changes for better emotional health.
A common approach is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Cognitive refers to thinking. Behavioral refers to actions. CBT helps people learn:
- How their feelings, thoughts, and behavior affect pain
- To identify maladaptive—unhelpful—patterns of thought and behavior
- To find adaptive—helpful—patterns of thought and behavior
This helps people successfully deal with pain in healthy ways that increase function.
Mindfulness is another useful tool. It means paying attention to the present moment on purpose and without judgment. It reduces stress, worry, pain, and sadness. It makes people more content and productive. Mindfulness practices are activities or habits that help us pay attention to our bodies, thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Meditation is the most popular mindfulness practice.
Basic meditation is simple but tricky. Sit somewhere quiet and comfortable, and clear your mind. It is hard to think about nothing. Our minds wander. They chatter. We think about the past and the future. Luckily, there are practices that help focus our attention on the present.
Breathing exercises can be used alone or as a tool for meditation. Many of us breathe quickly and shallowly. Breathing exercises focus on taking long, deep breaths and letting them out slowly. Focusing on breathing can help us clear our minds while meditating. When our minds wander, we can move our attention back to our breath.
Guided imagery or meditation is another option. A guide will talk you through a meditation practice. You may pay attention to your breathing or feelings. You may think of certain places. You only have to focus on what the guide is saying.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a type of meditation. MBSR mixes mindfulness and yoga. In studies, MSBR helped people with pain be more active and use less medicine.
In biofeedback, sensors on your body send information to a computer about your breathing or muscle tightness. A therapist will help you see how stress affects your body. Then you can learn to use relaxation practices. This seems to help with headaches and chronic pain.
Hypnosis is another useful therapy. Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation. It uses focus and relaxation. You can learn self-hypnosis or go to a therapist. Studies show one session of hypnosis helps pain for hours.
Exercise reduces pain and relieves stress. Look for exercises that are mindful and use gentle movement. These can help you build strength and flexibility. Some examples of helpful exercises are:
- Yoga
- Mindful practice of breathing, moving, stretching, and posing
- Many different kinds
- Pilates
- Stretching with or without special equipment
- Focus on breath, core strength, flexibility, and standing properly
- Tai chi
- Known as moving meditation
- Ancient Chinese system of breathing and moving
- A slow martial art
- Qi gong
- Chinese exercise system using focus, breathing, and moving
- Goal: balance in the body and mind
Spending time with and talking with people is important for our well-being. Studies show that people with strong social networks report less pain than other people. Make time to visit with friends and family members.
The following practices can also be good for pain management:
- Art and music therapy
- Pet or animal therapy
- Developing hobbies