What is it like living with someone with chronic pain?

Living with someone who is experiencing chronic, unrelieved pain can be demanding. Pain is often associated with depression, sleep disturbance, increased irritability and high levels of frustration, none of which make the person suffering the pain much fun to be around.


What does living with chronic pain do to a person?

Regardless of its source, chronic pain can disrupt nearly all aspects of someone's life – beyond physical pain, it can impede their ability to work and participate in social and other activities like they used to, impact their relationships and cause feelings of isolation, frustration and anxiety.

How does chronic pain affect family?

The Spiraling Effects of Chronic Pain

Family members may experience changes in their thoughts and feelings, leading to depression or anxiety. They may engage in ongoing unexpressed family conflict and/or bring up childhood family issues.


How do you deal with someone who is always in pain?

How to Sit with Someone Else's Pain
  1. Reach out. ...
  2. Really listen to them. ...
  3. Don't offer solutions. ...
  4. Don't make the situation about yourself. ...
  5. Don't assume or prognosticate. ...
  6. Don't minimize their emotions. ...
  7. Don't compare their pain to anyone else's. ...
  8. Acknowledge you don't know what to say.


How can I help a supportive partner with chronic pain?

How to Support a Spouse with Chronic Pain
  1. Aim for balanced communication.
  2. Be open about sexuality.
  3. Make time for self-care.
  4. Encourage your child to get back to their normal routine.
  5. Avoid helping them too much.
  6. Encourage children to take a mindful approach.
  7. Accompany them to appointments.
  8. Offer to help with everyday tasks.


What Chronic Pain Has Taught Me About Resilience | Trung Ngo | TEDxCentennialCollegeToronto



What should you not say to a chronic pain sufferer?

Let's take a look at some phrases that you shouldn't say to someone with chronic pain.
  • You don't look sick.
  • There's always someone worse off.
  • I hope you feel better soon.
  • Have you tried…?
  • It's all in your head.
  • Does that condition really exist?
  • It's mind over matter.
  • At least you don't have to go out to work!


How does chronic pain affect relationships?

People living with chronic pain often withdraw from relationships outside their immediate family, which can lead to estrangement from other family members and friends.

How do you love someone with chronic illness?

Listen to your partner when they talk about the physical and emotional impact their disease is having on them, along with what the symptoms and side effects are. Be patient with them and, what's more, believe them. Realise that what they are going through is even worse than what you are experiencing.


Does chronic pain change your personality?

“The study shows people with chronic pain experience disruptions in the communication between brain cells. This could lead to a change in personality through a reduction of their ability to effectively process emotions.

How does chronic pain affect a marriage?

The primary mental/ emotional consequence of having a spouse with chronic pain is distress, which can lead to issues such as depression (Ahern et al., 1985; Schwartz et al., 1991). Marital effects include decreased sexual relations and decreased marital satisfaction (Strunin & Boden, 2004).

How do you deal with a chronically ill spouse?

Tips for the partner of a person who is sick
  1. Talk with your partner. ...
  2. Ask your partner what they need. ...
  3. Commit to getting and staying emotionally and spiritually strong.
  4. Learn as much as you can about your partner's illness.
  5. Support your partner's true feelings. ...
  6. Confront sexual issues with open communication.


Does chronic pain get worse with age?

Aging creates a double whammy, however, when you add chronic pain to the mix. Untreated chronic pain worsens over time, although to what degree is unpredictable and depends upon many unknowns. Most chronic pain results in loss of function in the spine, joints or extremities.

How does chronic pain affect behavior?

Chronic pain can significantly impact your moods and emotions because it causes chronic stress. When your body is in pain, it responds by releasing certain stress hormones and neurochemicals. This abnormal chemical reaction makes mood and behavior regulation much more difficult and can bring on anxiety and depression.

When does chronic pain become unbearable?

Chronic pain is that which persists for more than three to six months after healing should have taken place. Most people go to see their GP when chronic pain starts to interfere with their lives.


How does chronic pain affect you socially?

You may find it difficult to participate in social activities and hobbies, which could lead to decreased self-esteem. It is also common for people with chronic pain to have sleep disturbances, fatigue, trouble concentrating, decreased appetite, and mood changes.

How much does chronic pain shorten life expectancy?

A 55-year-old male can expect 24.7 years of life, of which 17.3 are pain-free, 2.8 are with milder, and 4.5 are with severe pain. A similarly aged female has greater longevity—27.4 years—but extra years are lived with pain—3.1 with milder and 7.0 with severe pain.

What do people with chronic pain want you to know?

Chronic pain is exhausting.

When you have chronic pain, your body is in a near constant state of stress. This can really drain a person's energy, and that's without even considering the mental and emotional toll chronic pain takes.


Is chronic pain traumatizing?

As a point of comparison, people with chronic pain typically have at least double the rate of previous trauma as compared to the general population. The US Department of Veterans Affairs explains that 15% to 35% of patients with chronic pain also have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

What are the emotional responses to chronic illness?

You may experience various stages of grief including denial, bargaining, anger, and sadness. You may feel you're on a roller coaster of emotion—accepting one day and angry the next. It may help to remind yourself that these feelings are normal, and will likely ease with time.

What are 5 behaviors that could prevent someone from getting a chronic disease?

Five key health-related behaviors for chronic disease prevention are never smoking, getting regular physical activity, consuming no alcohol or only moderate amounts, maintaining a normal body weight, and obtaining daily sufficient sleep.


How do you live a happy life with chronic illness?

How to Live Well With a Chronic Illness
  1. Get emotional support. Many people with chronic illness struggle with depression. ...
  2. Follow your doctor's plan of care. ...
  3. Make small changes to your diet. ...
  4. Keep moving. ...
  5. Drink more water. ...
  6. Listen to your body. ...
  7. Focus on your goals. ...
  8. Manage your stress.


Does love help with chronic pain?

Studies have shown that merely touching the one we love can act as a pain reliever. New research suggests that even just being in a loved one's presence can help reduce pain.

Are people with chronic pain considered disabled?

The SSA does not consider chronic pain to be a disability, so there is no listing for it in the SSA's Blue Book. Chronic pain, even if it is severe and disabling, does not qualify unless you can prove it is caused by a verifiable condition that lasts for at least 12 months.


What are the 5 signs of emotional suffering?

Common warning signs of emotional distress include:
  • Eating or sleeping too much or too little.
  • Pulling away from people and things.
  • Having low or no energy.
  • Having unexplained aches and pains, such as constant stomachaches or headaches.
  • Feeling helpless or hopeless.