An aversion to pain is natural, and it’s not uncommon for a person to be afraid of pain, which can be both good and bad. Fearing pain can lead us to make smart decisions to avoid potentially painful activities, but it can also work against us if we’re so afraid of pain that it leads us to make choices that end up compounding pain. It may sound a bit confusing, but let us explain.

If you wake up and are afraid of your pain condition, you may opt to stay in bed and avoid physical activity that could help you break out of your cycle of pain. It can lead you to want to stay in bed, order unhealthy take-out and do nothing positive for your health the whole day. When you let the fear of your chronic pain condition dictate your day, it makes it harder and harder to develop healthy habits that can actually help you overcome your condition. You can work towards improving your condition, or you can make it worse, but you can’t let fear lead you down the wrong path.

Let Fear Fuel You

Instead of letting fear keep you inactive, let it fuel you to make positive changes in your life. Know that if you don’t do anything to help yourself get better, there’s a very good chance that your condition will get worse, so let that knowledge motivate you to make positive changes in your life.

These changes don’t need to take place overnight, either. Strive for a few “wins” each day, and build on them. Go for a one mile walk in the afternoon, have some vegetables for a snack, and do an extra round of your physical therapy exercises. Write down some of the positive things you did for your health each day, and challenge yourself to build on those goals as time goes on. Small steps can lead to big changes over time, you just need to be patient and challenge yourself  to do right by your body.

You don’t need to live in fear of your chronic pain, but it pays to be knowledgeable about how your chronic pain can continue to worsen if you do nothing about it. Other than making some simple changes in your life to be more active and eat healthier, it’s also imperative that you sync up with a pain management specialist like Dr. Cohn. He’ll be able to get to the bottom of your condition, explain what’s going on, and provide you with some direction to keep working towards your ultimate goal of helping you rid yourself of your pain condition.

So while fear of pain can motivate you, don’t let it force you into bad habits that increase your likelihood of future pain. To break out of the cycle and overcome your pain, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.