Living with chronic pain can be extremely challenging for a number of reasons, and as we’ve talked about on the blog in the past, it can have a significant effect on your social life. You don’t want your friends to feel isolated or alone because of their pain condition, but being a great friend can take a little extra work because of the complexity and unpredictable nature of a chronic pain condition.

Because of this, we wanted to use today’s blog to highlight some of the ways you can be a great friend to someone with chronic pain.

Supporting A Friend Who Is Dealing With A Chronic Pain Condition

Here are some ways you can be a supportive friend to someone who is battling a chronic pain condition.

Listen More Than You Talk – As the old adage goes, we have two ears and one mouth, so we should do twice as much listening as we do talking, and that’s especially true when supporting a friend with a chronic pain condition. Let them vent their frustrations to you, or keep the conversation about anything other than their pain condition. Be a good listener and really hear them when they talk.

Know That Cancellations Aren’t Personal – You may have had those plans on the books for months, but temper your expectations and know that a last-minute cancellation is possible and that it is nothing personal. Many chronic pain patients don’t know when their next flare up is coming, and despite their best efforts, they may be having a bad day at the absolute worst time. Be understanding if they have to back out of a commitment and know that their decision to cancel plans isn’t anything personal.

Be A Positive Voice – It can be easy to focus on the negatives of a chronic pain condition, but doing so isn’t good for your mental and emotional health. Do what you can to be a positive voice of encouragement. If you notice that your friend is more physically capable or has made strides since the last time you saw them, let them know. This encouragement and positive talk may be more important to them than you’ll ever know, so try to avoid focusing on the negatives associated with a pain condition.

Be Persistent – Those dealing with a chronic pain condition are less likely to make plans or meet you out on a moment’s notice, so you can be a great friend by regularly asking them to do things. Remember that cancellations or unaccepted invites aren’t personal, but they’ll love that you’re reaching out and wanting to connect. Don’t stop reaching out even if most plans don’t come to fruition. It’s easy for social circles to get smaller and smaller as a result of chronic pain, so don’t stop reaching out even if it takes a while to make plans.

If you do these things and practice patience, you’ll be a great and supportive friend to someone battling a chronic pain condition. It takes a little extra effort, but we know from first hand experience how important it is to have friends like this if you’re working to overcome a chronic pain condition. For more information, or for help with a different chronic pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn today at (952) 438-4580.