Your family deserves you at your best, but sometimes chronic pain can make it difficult to be completely in the moment with your family. It’s important to realize the role your family plays in treating and overcoming your chronic pain condition, and they’ll benefit too from a mother or father who is living without chronic pain. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the reciprocal relationship between your chronic pain condition and your family.
Why You Need Your Family If You Have Chronic Pain
One of the biggest problems that individuals with chronic pain face is the feeling of isolation caused by their condition. Chronic pain can be incredibly isolating for a number of reasons. You may feel like you’re the only person dealing with your specific condition, or that others can’t fully understand what you’re going through. A pain condition can also lead you to withdraw from your favorite activities or to grow apart form your social circle, which only serves to make isolation feel worse.
That’s why it’s so important to have a family that supports your quest for successful treatment. Find your number one supporter and lean on them when times get tough. Whether that’s a spouse, a boyfriend, a sister or a parent, you need to have someone who you can turn to when a flare up is making daily life difficult. Some of you already know who this person is, but others may not have someone they can easily lean on. Our advice is to sit down with a loved one, explain that you’ll have bad days and that you hope you can count on them for support, and that they’d be welcome to attend an appointment with you to help better understand your condition and what you’re going through.
Leaning on family for support throughout your chronic pain treatment is extremely important. Knowing you’re not alone can help relieve some of the burden of your pain condition, and having someone who understands what you’re going through helps to alleviate some of the guilt and mental anguish that can accompany your pain. You’d be amazed at the physical progress we can make treating chronic pain when we also address some of the mental stressors in our life.
Why Your Family Needs You
Conversely, your family will also reap the benefits of a spouse or a parent who is in control of their chronic pain condition. The most obvious reason behind this claim is that we function better when we’re not in constant or intense pain. We can think more clearly, react more appropriately and be in a better mood when we’re not dealing with a flareup, and your family will appropriate this. Even if you do a great job thinking clearly, reacting appropriately and controlling your mood when you’re in pain, you know how exhausting this can be. You’re simply not at your best when you’re dealing with chronic pain, and your family deserves to have you at your best.
Chronic pain can also provide you with a teaching moment for your family. While they may never truly understand your pain, your spouse and your children will certainly take note of how your handle and overcome chronic pain. Show them that you are a warrior and what true strength looks like. Overcoming your chronic pain doesn’t mean hiding your condition and living a life of silent pain, it means being open with those closest to you so you can give yourself the best chance of effectively treating the issue. Make them proud of what you’ve overcome by working to treat your chronic pain condition, and you’ll be a role model for your entire family.
Overcoming chronic pain isn’t easy, but it’s something both you and your family deserve. To connect with a physician who understands this and who wants to be part of your solution, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.