Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Pain Management
Chronic pain is one of the most common health issues in modern society. It is also a leading cause of disability, negatively impacting not only a person’s physical and mental well-being but also economic productivity. Statistics indicate that there are more people suffering from chronic pain worldwide than those with diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined.
Lėtinis skausmas yra labai kompleksinis. Neretai jis gali būti net ne lokalus, kaip būtų, pavyzdžiui, pasitempus raiščius ar nusideginus ranką, bet plintantis, apimantis platesnę kūno sritį. Žmonės labai dažnai skausmą suvokia kaip vien tik fizinį negalavimą ir pojūtį. Tačiau skausmas glaudžiai susijęs tiek su biologiniais, tiek su psichologiniais bei emociniais faktoriais. Kenčiantys nuo lėtinio skausmo, ypač, jei šis skausmas trunka ilgai, pradeda jausti šalutinį poveikį – pyktį, neviltį, liūdesį, nerimą, nemigą. Todėl nenuostabu, kad, norint ilgalaikių teigiamų rezultatų, skausmą reikia gydyti kompleksiškai, atsižvelgiant į fizinius, emocinius bei psichologinius aspektus. Dėl šios priežasties, visos pasaulio pažangiausios skausmo gydymo klinikos taiko daugiadisciplininį gydymą – įvairius skausmo gydymo metodus – medikamentinį, ar invazinį-, operacijas, kineziterapiją bei psichoterapiją.
An Adjunct Tool in Pain Management
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a supportive tool in pain management that helps patients deal with health issues by gradually changing their mindset and understanding of chronic pain and its associated negative side effects. Learning to intercept negative thoughts in time can make it easier to handle life’s challenges and difficult situations, including both physical and emotional pain.
The goal of CBT is to learn how to cope with or prevent stress, anxiety, or depression. It’s a way of reshaping one’s mindset, focusing on thoughts (the cognitive component) and actions (the behavioral component). CBT helps recognize negative feelings and thoughts. The therapy, in turn, helps patients learn to stop such negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, helping them relax and feel better. To develop this mindset, patients learn to calm both mind and body. There are various techniques to achieve this. Working with a psychotherapist, patients try out and choose those methods that work best for them individually, such as meditation, yoga, relaxing music, or positive visualization.
Developing Positive Skills
CBT helps build skills that allow thoughts to positively influence physical sensations. When thoughts are redirected away from pain and focused on positive aspects of life, the body’s physical response to pain and stress changes. It’s no surprise that this therapy is often used for pain patients as it helps gradually but effectively shift perspectives and thoughts about pain. Patients are also encouraged to remain as active as possible. Physical well-being, along with psychological wellness, is crucial in pain management as physical activity helps distract from unpleasant sensations. Physical activity need not be intense; a light walk or gentle swim is often enough, as it’s essential to avoid overexertion.
Generally, people with chronic pain often delay seeking help from pain specialists, especially if the pain is nonspecific and difficult to define or locate. In such cases, individuals may begin self-medicating with over-the-counter pain relievers, often disregarding drug compatibility or dosing. Health risks increase significantly when a person becomes dependent on such medications, taking them in large quantities and exceeding recommended doses multiple times. When they finally consult a pain specialist, it may no longer be safe to prescribe medication or invasive treatments due to potential drug interactions. In these cases, CBT can be especially helpful, as no medications are used in the process.
What Happens During a Therapy Session
It’s essential to understand that psychotherapy sessions are serious work and a commitment, primarily to oneself. The attitude that one can simply attend therapy, chat a little, and feel better is misleading. One session is certainly not enough. It’s important to recognize that prolonged periods of pain affect one’s overall well-being, mental state, and behavior, all of which are challenging to change and require significant effort.
During CBT sessions, the therapist asks the patient about their pain—when, how, and where it occurs most often, what might intensify it, and what negative emotions or behaviors may trigger or exacerbate it. The therapist seeks to identify the stress factors that cause anxiety, fear, anger, and other negative emotions. Based on these factors, the therapist and patient work together to create a treatment plan that suits the patient’s individual needs and capabilities. In any case, this plan typically includes changing perspectives on pain, relaxation techniques, and developing new skills to cope with anxiety or depression. atsipalaidavimo technikos, naujų įgūdžių, padedančių susidoroti su nerimu ar depresija, formavimas.
Treating chronic pain can often be a lengthy process, requiring the combined efforts of multiple specialists for evaluation and treatment. A comprehensive approach to this process yields the best and most lasting results.