You Have More Control Over Pain Than What You May Think

What You Can Control - Focus on these

• Learning how pain works
• Changing how you think and feel about pain, and your responses to it
• Accepting pain without giving up hope
• Not being fearful of pain (hurt ≠ harm)
• Choosing what you listen to, read, and watch
• Not dwelling on pain
• Not complaining about pain
• Not wallowing in pain
• Not placing blame for pain
• Staying away from negativity
• Not sharing pain with others (verbally and non-verbally)
• Taking responsibility for self-care
• Changing expectations and setting goals
• Increasing your functional ability to do everyday tasks
• Reducing stress
• Moving more – increasing your activity level
• Moderating what you do
• Modifying what you do
• Developing better sleep habits
• Being kind to yourself and others
• Being grateful – focusing on what you have, not what you’ve lost
• Preparing in advance for a flare

What You Can’t Control- Don’t focus on these

• Pain
• Imaging and other test results
• Past or future medical interventions
• Past painful experiences (trauma, injury)
• What other people say, feel or do
• Weather
• What’s happening in the world
• Cultural background
• Socio-economic background
• Demographics (sex, age, ethnicity)
• Genetic make-up

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