Clinical psychologists have found that by rewiring how our minds interpret pain, we can sometimes redirect our brains into viewing it with less intensity. Although this method does not replace the need for adequate medical attention, it can help for those who experience mild to moderate pain. One way to start is by repeating the phrases you usually say to yourself such as, “I am in a horrible amount of pain”, and change it to, “Pain is present”. Doing this helps change the statement to a neutral one, making our view of it much less dense.
Key Takeaways:
- When you describe your pain, leave out adjectives such as awful, excruciating, or terrible.
- Use the phrase “pain is present” followed by the body part where your pain is located.
- Not only will your pain feel less intense, it will also feel less permanent.
“We have a choice about how to describe unpleasantness in the mind and in the body, and which choice we make can actually lessen the unpleasantness of the experience.”
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