Looking at Obstacles to Successful Chronic Pain Management
People living with chronic pain often receive negative messages from their healthcare providers. How would you react if you were told “it’s all in your head,” “you need to try harder,” or maybe “you’re making yourself hurt so you can get drugs?” Unfortunately, many pain patients or told that or worse.
Another phrase I have heard from doctors and nurses, as well as mental health and substance abuse counselors, is “they’re just drug/med seeking.” Before I worked extensively with this group of people, I used to think my clients were “drug seeking” as well. However, I have learned that what they really are looking for is relief from their pain—both physical and emotional.
These negative messages, combined with feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, can cause someone suffering with chronic pain to become confused, guarded, and defensive. Teaching them how to effectively connect with supportive people is an important part of every recovery program that strengthens the probability of relapse prevention. This positive support often leads to overcoming confusion and defensiveness.
Unfortunately, mistaken beliefs about chronic pain and chemical dependency in the healthcare system and recovery community can discourage recovering people from connecting with appropriate support. In fact, misguided advice has often led to life threatening situations for the person in pain.
I have seen patients with chronic pain and coexisting addiction problems receive completely inappropriate treatment from their healthcare providers. These situations are very frustrating because they are so unnecessary. I get very concerned because inappropriate treatment can easily lead to relapse, and in some cases death.
The blame the victim mentality is not limited to treatment providers. I have also seen Twelve-Step members who shame, blame, and shun others who relapse. This is particularly true if the person had long-term sobriety before the relapse. I have heard newcomers being told to avoid such people because they are “losers.” When a chemically dependent person returns to alcohol or other drug use, they need compassion, understanding, and support—not shame and blame, in order to once again experience quality recovery.
To learn out of the problem and into the solution for successful chronic pain management please check out my article Overcoming Obstacles for Effective Chronic Pain Management that you can download for free on our Article page.
If you’d like to receive training for helping people with relapse prevention, I’m very excited to announce that the Gorski-CENAPS Corporation is presenting The Relapse Prevention Therapy44 Hour Certification Training in Ft. Lauderdale October 18-22, 2010. To learn more about this 5 day 44 hour training you can check out our Calendar page.
You can learn more about the Addiction-Free Pain Management® System at our website www.addiction-free.com. If you or a loved one is undergoing chronic pain management, especially if you’re in recovery or believe you may have a medication or other mental health problem and you want to learn more effective chronic pain management tools, please go to our Publications page and check out my books; especially the Addiction-Free Pain Management® Recovery Guide: Managing Pain and Medication in Recovery. To purchase this book please Click Here.
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