The line between pain with a physical cause and physical pain that's psychological in origin is extremely blurry, with a lot of overlap. That's why, researchers says, psychological therapy works on both.https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/5/17/17276452/chronic-pain-treatment-psychology-cbt-mindfulness-evidence …
Chronic pain patients can spend years bouncing between doctor-to-doctor, never learning what's wrong with them, and never being offered an effective treatment. ...
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yet, cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective treatment in many cases, it's low risk, and it can potentially help people not only manage their pain, but their habits of mind that make the pain grow worse ...
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I read a lot of research, and talked to many doctors and patients about this. Psychological therapy for chronic pain is a worthy option. ...
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It's not perfect. But considering how costly and ineffective surgery can be, and how addicting and ineffective opioids can be, psychotherapy shouldn't be a last resort option for managing pain.
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And here's an important lesson I learned. It’s not that their pain is “in their heads.” The truth is much more nuanced: All pain can have both physical and psychological components. But the psychological component is often dismissed or never acknowledged.
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. “We have to get over this concept that either the pain is real or it’s all in my head and I’m making it up," one neuroscientist told me. It’s both.
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Anyway. I discuss all of that in this story, as well as dive into the fascinating science of how we feel pain, and why. https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/5/17/17276452/chronic-pain-treatment-psychology-cbt-mindfulness-evidence … I hope you find this article useful!
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And a thanks to
@JZarracina for the great illustrations !Show this thread
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I’m glad YOU think it’s such a great article, but I think it’s an extremely dangerous narrative to put out there! Chronically ill patients go through hell with Doctors already as it is, now you guys want to put out there that it’s just all in your head? I don’t think so.
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