Love Your Body: Managing Chronic Pain
May 12th is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day 💜
May 12th is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Here are a few tips from Freedom To Know Wellness to support you on this day and in your wellness journey.
Managing Chronic Pain can make a person feel disconnected from their body. Feeling like the body you once depended on and thrived upon has failed you. This thought can trigger a disconnect between your mind and your body. However, we can forget that the body is going through the same experience and pain journey that you are, so disconnecting, as hard as it may seem, isn’t ideal for you, nor for your body.
Your body senses your emotions— your anger, fears, and frustrations. And that “disconnect” can trigger more pain in your body.
“During a flare-up, saying “I love you” to your body is the last thing you want to do—and let’s be honest, with how your body is feeling, it’s probably not saying it back either.”
Instead of hate, choose to love your body through the pain. I know that’s a difficult concept to practice and easier said than done. But with daily chronic pain or even during a flare-up, tell your body, “It’s okay to rest,” “I will take care of you,” “I love you.”
Trust me, I’m getting annoyed reading this—even though I’m the one writing it. During a flare-up, saying “I love you” to your body is the last thing you want to do—and let’s be honest, with how your body is feeling, it’s probably not saying it back either.
Yet remember, your body is actually listening to you. It’s a new, strange, and potentially long—or short—process (for some), but over time, your mind and body will start to connect and respond to that support.
These techniques are taught in many pain management programs, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), talk therapy, and meditation classes focused on pain relief. Try implementing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a meditation technique that helps strengthen the mind-body connection, as it can aid over time in managing pain both physically and mentally.
Other holistic mindfulness-based remedies like Reiki, Bowen Therapy, and acupuncture have also been found helpful in supporting the mind-body connection when managing fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions.
In this journey of learning to love our bodies, it's important to understand the value and nurturing power of rest. With fibromyalgia, rest is often forced upon you, disrupting daily responsibilities. But one thing a Reiki practitioner—who also lives with chronic pain—once told me has stayed with me: it’s okay, and even essential, to allow yourself to rest—preferably intentional rest, but even when it's not. “Rest is a form of prayer— a type of healing and giving reverence to your temple”.
Stay Tuned in May
FTKWellness will feature a list of fibromyalgia resources throughout May—stay tuned for upcoming posts!
Be Well 💜
Freedom To Know Wellness