The eleven free programs I used to recover from chronic pain

*Deep breath*

First, I feel a little uncomfortable about sharing the 11 programs (yes 11) I used to treat my stubborn chronic pain. Here they are:

1. Alan Gordon’s Pain Recovery Program (21 days, text based with video content)
2. The TMS Wiki Structured Educational Program (42 days, text based)
3. The Jim Campbell Program (five daily points)
4. eCentreClinic Pain Course (eight weeks, online delivery)
5. STOMP – Structuring Your Own Management Of Pain (82 pages, text based)
6. Pain Management For Everyone (seven, 10 minute videos)
7. painTRAINER (eight online 30-45 minute sessions)
8. Nutrition For Chronic Pain (35 pages, text based)
9. Retrain Pain Foundation (19, one-minute lessons)
10. ESCAPE-pain (six week program)
11. RECOVERY Strategies (71 pages, text based)

Why eleven different programs?

Wallowing in my pain and misery was fun. Bouncing between programs was fun (it was like a virtual doctor shopping). Don't be like me. That was stupid.

I have written more about these free programs over at my blog.

I am not going to make any comments about what program was "best". But I will distill everything I learnt into three points:
1) Education about pain. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to the root cause of pain.
2) Know your body and understand your emotions. Journaling, meditation and introspection is key.
3) Retrain your brain. Rewrite those neural pathways. Know that pain itself is not dangerous – as real as it may feel.

There is hope! Healing is possible.

Best regards,
Sam

 

Even this forum can be opinion and story shopping. I'm too frugal to try separate programs.