What We Treat – Chronic Pain
Mental Health Therapy Can Help You Navigate Through Chronic Pain
If you’re suffering from chronic pain, you know how debilitating it can be. On most days or every day you can feel like you can’t do or want to do much of anything. The lack of movement and freedom can take a toll on your mental health too, leading to mixed emotions that might include sadness, frustration, anger, and wondering if things will ever get better.
The National Institutes of Health states that the incidence of new chronic pain cases was high, at 52.4 cases per 1,000 persons per year. This is compared to other common chronic conditions, such as diabetes (7.1 cases/1,000 per year), depression (15.9 cases/ 1,000 per year), and hypertension (45.3 cases/1,000 per year). Chronic pain is highly persistent, with almost two-thirds (61.4%) of those who reported chronic pain in 2019 still reporting chronic pain a year later. However, about 1 in 10 (10.4%) of people with chronic pain in 2019 recovered and were pain free in 2020.
The fascinating thing about pain is that its complexity showcases that it’s not just physical. There are emotional and psychological aspects that contribute to pain which also means that finding opportunities to engage psychologically in new ways can help. That primary way of helping is mental health therapy.
Some of the ways therapy can help is by providing the proper tools to achieve relaxation, change old beliefs about pain, build new coping mechanisms and addressing early on or manage any anxiety or depression that may be happening because of your pain. As seen in Table 2 from the National Library of Medicine, you can view the types of pain that saw improved results from the therapy modality listed.
Stress, as we know, can cause a variety of problems for the body, including chronic pain. Stress can come from various life events which generally can also include lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and eating unhealthy foods. Stress can also come from more traumatic life events such as abuse. In fact, individuals exposed to a direct adverse childhood experience (ACEs), whether physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, or neglect, were 45% more likely to report chronic pain in adulthood compared to those not exposed. But it’s not just in childhood. If later in adulthood, you experience any type of abuse, it can also potentially bring about chronic pain.
Although mental health therapy may not completely get rid of your chronic pain, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for pain has been widely implemented as a standard treatment for pain and constitutes the current “gold standard” for psychological intervention for pain.
Just because you have chronic pain and you’re feeling all sorts of emotions doesn’t mean you have a mental health diagnosis. With the statistics showing a large population suffering from chronic pain, it’s common to feel sad and frustrated by how it’s changed your life. Speaking with a therapist can help.
If you are someone who does have a diagnosis either because of the chronic pain or in addition too, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc. or you’re looking for methods that don’t involve pain medications for your chronic pain, Serenium also offers therapists, APNs, and medication management as needed.
At Serenium we envision a world where there is mental and emotional wellness for all and we’re on a deeper mission to provide people the mental and emotional support needed to cultivate their well-being through all of life’s events.
Serenium is a brand focused on therapy and wellness where serenity and calmness meets balance and equilibrium. A place where Mind, Body, Soul, and Emotion flow as one, into a lasting effect to feel whole and complete.
See the vast list of insurance we accept, check out our caring staff of therapists, join our monthly newsletter, give us a call or fill out the form below to set up your first session.
Our team will speak with you to find the best therapist for what you need and based on your availability. We offer in person sessions in New Jersey in Brick, Manalapan, and Cranford, as well as virtual sessions. If after a few sessions, you’re not feeling like your therapist is the right fit, we are happy to find someone who is from our staff of over 150+ therapists.
We look forward to helping you navigate your feelings and thoughts around chronic pain and helping you feel a sense of calm and hope knowing that no matter what, you’ll be okay, and that you have the capacity to live a life of joy.
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