Chronic pain is difficult to manage for a variety of reasons, and pain is only part of the problem. Chronic pain disrupts your social life, and it can leave you feeling isolated or with feelings of loneliness. Maintaining a healthy mindset and combating these feelings of isolation are key in treating the whole issue of chronic pain. Today, we share some ways to avoid feeling alone if you’re dealing with a chronic condition.

Preventing Isolation With Chronic Pain

Here are some things you can do if you’re feeling like your chronic pain condition is making it difficult to connect with the outside world:

1. Join A Support Group – The key to avoiding feelings of isolation when battling a chronic pain condition is to remember that you are not alone. At times it may seem like you are alone, but there are so many others dealing with the same condition. Ask your doctor if they know of any support groups for people living with your condition, or perform a simple online search. Odds are a support group is only a couple clicks away!

2. Lean On Close Friends – Not everyone is going to understand what you’re going through, and that’s fine. However, odds are you have a couple friends that are sympathetic and understand what you’re going through. Make plans to connect with these people, even if it’s just once or twice a month for coffee. Pain can sometimes interrupt these plans, but your close friends will understand and adapt, and making plans gives you something to look forward to instead of just dwelling on your pain condition.

3. Exercise – Exercise releases endorphins in your brain that can enhance your mood, and it also gives you a sense of accomplishment. Pain can make exercise difficult, but odds are you can find a few exercises that you can perform without pain getting in the way. Exercise also helps to combat chronic pain, so aside from helping put you in a positive frame of mind, it’s also helping you fight against chronic pain.

4. Talk About Your Emotions – Don’t bottle up your emotions. It’s helpful to talk about your feelings and vent about your frustrations when it comes to chronic pain. If you don’t want to talk to your friends or family about your feelings, bring them up to a doctor, your support group or a therapist. It’s important to remember that these feelings are normal, but hiding them or trying to mask them can actually make them worse. You’ll also feel more connected with others if you open up to them about what you’re going through.

For more tips on combating feelings of loneliness or isolation, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today.