WINNING AGAINST CHRONIC PAIN

Hello All -

We’ve learned a lot after coaching people (MODERATED: identifying information removed due to previous failure to respond to legitimate concerns about deceptive marketing techniques) and we have seen some common denominators that determine success. One of the obstacles that we point out over and over again is the tendency to give your pain way too much power. Understandably, over time, chronic pain can seem to take on a life of its own. One of our client’s referred to his neck pain as his constant companion!

This made us think of the popular Showtime series from a few years back: Dexter. If you're not familiar, this disturbing, yet captivating series followed thirtysomething Dexter in his role as forensics specialist by day and mercenary serial killer by night. Though he only targeted “bad” people who he felt had gotten away with terrible crimes – he enjoyed his “side work” a bit too much! Over time he began to refer to his vigilante style justice personality as his Dark Passenger.

The same thing can happen with chronic pain and it takes a deliberate, dedicated effort to shake off this negative hitchhiker. It is essential to start visualizing yourself at the end of this journey - living a full life - without constant pain.

To do this, you must see yourself as separate from your pain. It is NOT part of you. It’s a false, “dark passenger.” For many of us, it’s taken years or even decades to develop this false master of pain. But now, by accepting the mind-body connection to your chronic pain, we have the chance to fight back and win our freedom! The pain is unwanted and it needs to go.

To do this, we must develop a healthier mindset and a healthier body. We can't keep doing things the same way that we've been doing them. It’s just not working. Winning requires us to change. Change is hard, but change is worth it. Remember the payoff is no more pain! It can be done. Say Adios to your dark passenger (pain) and start the pain free life you deserve to live.

 

I agree with this, and would add that we also need to stop identifying with who we think we are, not just the symptoms. The symptoms are better described as messages of conflict between who we're pretending to be and how we're acting, but for some reason cannot admit to. The entire identification with the body is the problem. At our deepest core we are love, beyond what is seen. I told Dr. Sarno that I didn't believe that it was the mind that was divided in conflict but rather the division between the mind and heart. He said he had no problem with that. In 1975 Festinger called it cognitive dissonance but I prefer to call it love vs. mind.

 

We?

Dare I hazard a guess that this is the Colorado Pain Clinic relishing a new and funky modus operandi?

 

Hello Plum - sorry if we stepped out of bounds in this first post - noted! Just want to put up some helpful content - had decades of pain myself and know what it's like.

 

Hello Daisymae007,

Fair play. We gladly welcome such contributions to the forum and it is a nice post. The only reservation comes from unresolved concerns regarding several dubious posts. Unsurprisingly these are red flags. Our community is a sanctuary for many, many people and the safety of our members is incredibly important. I'm sure you understand this.

Healing is all about relationships, trust, boundaries and compassion so forgive me for the gentle shakedown.

 

Thanks to plum for bringing this up:

That, and a continuing failure to identify themselves in a professional manner, and instead choosing to use another new anonymous username. Compare and contrast, for example, to @Steve Ozanich.

...after I removed the marketing attempt - which was reported by someone else.

Definitely not a first post, just a new user name. The person who reported it realized this.