chronic pain support group

Four People To Lean On If You Have Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

people supportChronic pain is both incredibly complex and unique, and this can leave the individual feeling very isolated from the world. Nobody else in the world knows exactly what you’re going through, but that doesn’t mean you have to go through treatment all alone.

But where can you turn if you’re feeling isolated and alone due to your chronic pain condition? In today’s blog, we take a look at four groups of people you can lean on if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your chronic pain condition.

Lean On Me

Every person’s situation is unique, so it may not be easy to lean on all of these groups, but odds are that you can find at least one ally if you lean on some of the resources in the below list.

1. A Doctor – As we mentioned above, nobody knows exactly what you’re going through, but a doctor will understand more than most. However, knowledge and understanding aren’t the only qualities that you’ll want to look for in a supportive doctor. Not all pain specialists are the same, and you need to find one that really takes the time to get to know you and your condition. If your doctor doesn’t give you the time of day and simply writes a prescription for a painkiller, they aren’t the best fit for your situation. It may take a little time, but if you can find a doctor who really cares about you and is willing to work to help you find a solution, they will be an invaluable ally.

2. Friends – Hopefully you have a couple friends that you can lean on when things are tough. Unlike a doctor, you don’t need your friends to really understand what’s going on with your chronic pain condition, you just need them to believe you and be there for you. Some friends are great at this, others not so much, so surround yourself by people who care and empathize with your situation. Bonus points if these friends help to push you out of your comfort zone for the sake of helping you overcome your pain condition. Find a friend who likes to go for walks or who is willing to be physically active with you, as exercise and movement will help with your pain control.

3. Family – Family can be a bit of a touchy subject for some people, especially if you family has been less than supportive in your battle with chronic pain, but if you can find family members who care, they can be a great resource. Even if they are just someone who you can call up and vent to for 15 minutes a couple times a month, having someone to talk to can be incredibly helpful for your mental health.

4. Online Support Group – Finally, if you want to connect with people in a similar situation, search online for support groups. Odds are you can find online communities for people battling the same condition, and it can be extremely helpful to talk to others who have gone through similar treatment or encountered similar obstacles. Before you get in too deep with an online support group, we recommend that you read our previous blog on the benefits and drawbacks of these online support groups so that you know what you’re getting into.

If you’d like to connect with a doctor who will be an ally and a helpful resource for you, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.

The Benefits And Drawbacks Of Online Chronic Pain Support Groups

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

online support groupThe advent of the internet has made it easier for people to connect with one another from all over the world. This is especially helpful in the pain management community. Many people may not know anyone else in their immediate circle dealing with a specific type of chronic pain condition, but they can connect with hundreds or thousands of individuals who are going through the same issue they are dealing with when they find a support group dedicated to that condition.

At the same time, support groups aren’t a perfect solution for your chronic pain issue either, and they can actually make it harder to overcome your pain if you’re not careful. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of online support groups for chronic pain.

Benefits Of Online Pain Support Groups

We’ve recommended online support groups to patients in the past, and they have the potential to be a perfect complement to your comprehensive treatment plan. For starters, there is a huge psychological weight that can be lifted off your shoulders when you know that you’re not going through your issue alone. There are so many others out there dealing with similar issues, and you can share ideas and stories with one another to feel less isolated by your chronic pain condition.

In fact, in a study about chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, the most frequently mentioned benefit of an online support group was illness legitimization (67.8%). Two other benefits that were frequently mentioned were finding out new information (66.4%) and feeling understood by others (62.2%). Clearly sharing ideas and connecting with others was helpful for those dealing with an isolating condition.

Drawbacks For Online Support Groups

The same study also looked at some potential drawbacks associated with these pain groups, and they found some interesting results. Most notably, active members of the pain care group reported greater symptom severity and less illness improvement than inactive members or dropouts. Now, there’s many possible reasons for this result. Inactive individuals or dropouts may not lean on the group as much because their pain wasn’t as severe, so they may be more likely to find a solution that leads them to no longer need the group.

However, there’s also the hypothesis that over-dependence and heavy involvement in an online support group can negatively affect how you approach your pain condition. One of the most frequently reported reasons for dropping out of the group was too much negative talk or complaining (33.3%). If all you read about your condition is how horrible it is, how doctors are working against you and how there’s no hope for the future, those thoughts can make it harder for you to find the right treatment plan. You may be more likely to avoid the solutions you need simply because of misinformation and pain catastrophizing that can take place in these groups.

A number of these groups can connect you with wonderful people who truly want to help you find a solution to your pain, but like any online group, they can also be full of people who are angry at the world and use the group to spread their misery to others. Whether intentional or not, it’s important that you don’t allow yourself to focus on these negative comments and know that it will do nothing to actually help you overcome your condition.

We’d be happy to point you in the direction of some in-person or online groups where you can connect with others in the midst of their own personal pain battle. You don’t have to go through it alone, and you can also fight your battle with a pain management specialist by your side. For help with your pain condition, or for answers to your questions, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today.