Digging Deeper

 

How Psychologists Can Help Treat Chronic Pain – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

This is great article supporting the use of psychology and psychological programs in helping sufferers with chronic pain.

It states,

“Psychologists, therapists and social workers have quietly become a crucial part of pain treatment programs, proving to be as effective or more so than medication. In 2018, the medical journal The Lancet went so far as to recommend education and psychological treatment as first-line interventions for chronic low back pain, before pharmacological treatment.”

 

The article specifically refers to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy saying,

“Many pain psychologists treat chronic pain with cognitive behavior therapy, or C.B.T., which focuses on reframing thoughts to positively affect behavior and emotions, or mindfulness, which involves learning to become conscious of feelings without reacting to them. Acceptance and commitment therapy combines mindfulness and C.B.T. to help patients accept their emotions and respond to them”,

The article highlights the difficulties of accessing these psychological treatments saying,

“We do not have enough trained psychologists to address all of the need,” said Beth Darnall, the director of the Stanford Pain Relief Innovations Lab. “We really have to look beyond what we are doing now”.

We believe at www.ActforPain we have devised a program based on the best evidence to meet these needs at an affordable price.

 

#chronicpain

#paincontrol

#backpain

#fibromyalgia

#acceptanceandcommitmenttherapy

#painpsychology

#newyorktimes