Treating Emotional Compents of Physical Pain

Here are my personal answers to my questions
* What kind of pain are you experiencing?
Migraines and GI issues, and back pain. I also have a history of anxiety attacks and chest pain

* When did your pain start?
I've had the back pain my entire adult life and the migraines and GI issues started about a year ago.

* Do you know what originally caused your pain?
It just started one day for no particular reason. I know that the GI issues are caused by micro ulcers but I don't know what caused any of the other symptoms.

* Has your pain gotten better or worse over time?
My pain has gotten significantly better over time.

* Is there anything you found that you can do when you get episodes of pain to help deal with the physical pain?
Focusing on a physical part of my body which is not in pain has helped me. Listening to music or going into a dark room has helped for my migraines. Also giving myself permission to have the symptoms I was having has helped me get through them.

* Is there any thing you can do to help deal with the fear associated with your pain?
I have had a couple fears associated with my pain.
1) The first was the fear that there was something medically wrong with my body and that the pain I was experiencing must be a sign of some deadly condition because of how bad it was. When I get this fear I remind myself of the medical tests I went through that came out negative and I tell myself that if something was physically wrong the doctors would have found it by now. I hope that if the neurologist can tell me what is causing my physical symptoms it will give me enough peace of mind to be able to move past it my physical symptoms.

2) The next fear I have is that when I get episodes I fear they will get as bad as they once were when I first started getting episode. I actually haven't figured out the best way to deal with this, but I try to remind myself how much better I feel now than I did when I first started getting episodes.

Post Edited (EsotericNonsense) : 7/11/2014 10:51:12 AM (GMT-6)

I'm currently working with a therapist but if I ever decide I need to find a new one I will look for one that specializes in dealing with chronic pain and health problems.

I agree about the therapist. There are some out there who do specialize in chronic medical conditions and stuff like that. And some "regular" therapists are quite good at it too. My current therapist, who is a "regular" therapist has been working with me for several years. But the past year or so, we have focused on dealing with medical problems most of the time I see her. She's good. She helps me to see things like how right now, I need to focus on the moment. I cannot afford to think about far off into the future, because i will start to feel hopeless and lost. She helps me to figure out things like how to ask for what I need, and I'm learning to accept the idea that my medical problems are not my fault. And that I can still have a meaningful life despite my medical bullcrap.

I think anyone who is dealing with chronic pain or any type of major/chronic illness is going to feel a range of emotions, including things like fear, frustration, anger, sadness, confusion. And seeing a therapist can be so helpful in managing the stress and stuff that comes with illness. I hope you will consider it. Good luck and keep us posted on how things are going!

I have migraine headaches, GI issues, chronic back pain, and anxiety attacks and now my insurance company is upset that I'm seeing a counselor every other week and told me that the next session I have would be the last session they will cover. So you tell me. What the hell am I supposed to do about this?

I feel as if I should give up because obviously no one really cares about any of my issues. I really just want to be healthy again. Is that too much to ask?

* What kind of pain are you experiencing?

lower stomach and bowel pain

* When did your pain start?

February 2014

* Do you know what originally caused your pain?

I don´t know. But it started after a very large meal. The doctors have found microscopic colitis in my bowel.

* Has your pain gotten better or worse over time?

The first 4 months worse, after that slightly better.

* Is there anything you found that you can do when you get episodes of pain to help deal with the physical pain?

To think that the pain at least passes, because it always do. All the time I have pain...after a few minutes or hours it passes

* Is there any thing you can do to help deal with the fear associated with your pain?

I would like to know if it is anything I could do to help myself psychologically