The importance of forgiveness and gratitude

"Pain is physical AND emotional 100% of the time."
​- Dr. Rachel Zoffness

Pain is an experience with biopsychosocial factors, including our emotions.

Often times, people living with chronic pain can become angry and less thankful. There may even be some perceived misjustice, as was in my case.
 
It can be helpful to let go of the unpleasant emotions like anger, unappreciation, and blame as they can negatively affect the chronic pain experience, disrupt relationships, and worsen our symptoms – turning up the pain volume.
 
While being forgiving, kind, and grateful won’t magically make the pain disappear; they can help lessen the pain and suffering, foster better health, build self-efficacy, and make life more enjoyable.
 
Learn more and learn how

• How to Forgive in Six Steps
• Jack Kornfield: 12 Principles of Forgiveness (13:42)
• The power of forgiveness (3:28) - I saw this while as a patient at the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center
• A Grateful Day with Brother David Steindl-Rast (5:22)
• How to let anger out | Thich Nhat Hanh answers questions (9:18) - listen to what he tells a little girl how to deal with anger
• Taking the Steps to Forgive Yourself
• Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness
• Control anger before it controls you
• 10-minute meditation: Loving kindness (10:07)
• Practicing Gratitude Is More Important Now Than Ever
• Your 5-day gratitude challenge: 5 exercises to increase your gratefulness
• How Cognitive Control Can Boost Well-Being
• Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress
• Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide
• The Pain Management Workbook - I highly recommend this book from Dr. Rachel Zoffness ​

 
Read the research

• Forgiveness is an emotion-focused coping strategy that can reduce health risks and promote health resilience: theory, review, and hypotheses
• Forgiveness and chronic pain: a systematic review
• Forgiveness and chronic low back pain: a preliminary study examining the relationship of forgiveness to pain, anger, and psychological distress
• Associations between anger and chronic primary pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis
• Loving-kindness meditation for chronic low back pain: results from a pilot trial