Chronic pain is hard!! And if you’re living with chronic pain, you know this all too well. I believe there are many sides to the chronic pain problem that add up to making it one of the hardest things to cope with.

First is the pain itself. Almost everyone has had a bad headache or a twisted ankle, and knows what pain feels like. But patients with chronic pain have to deal with pain that doesn’t go away. If you haven’t had this, it can be very hard to understand what that’s like. Chronic pain, especially severe chronic pain is very, very difficult to experience. Yes, this experience is a difficult challenge!

In addition to the pain itself, you often experience many, many negative consequences of pain:

• Pain often affects your ability to work, which may have financial and emotional consequences. Many people like the sense of purpose and fulfillment, and the social contact that comes from work, and this may be lost.
• Pain affects relationships with family and friends. At times, you may be depressed and grumpy, which affects those around you. You may have less ability to do things around the house, or may not be able to go out to do what you did in the past. Family may becomes as frustrated as you do, if the pain doesn’t improve. There may be long-term changes in roles, which can be difficult to adjust to.
• Pain affects your leisure time. Pain may limit your ability to do things you used to like to do, like relaxing or playing with family, socializing with friends, and doing hobbies and favorite activities. This may come from both the physical limitations of your pain problem, and from the stress and depression that often comes along with chronic pain, just not feeling like doing anything.

There are ways to cope!! Chronic pain is certainly a challenge, physically, mentally and spiritually, but THERE IS HOPE!!