Migraine pain can be lonely, but don’t give up on your friendships! Finding and keeping friends is an important ingredient to life. Linda Ruehlman, PhD, and director of the Chronic Pain Management Program, an interactive site that helps people manage their pain has lots of suggestions for maintaining close ties with others. Here are some of her tips….

* Take the initiative to arrange social activities and events that you can do, rather than simply turning down those that seem difficult.

* Learn to pace yourself in social activities. Doing too much on one day may only reduce how much you can do the next day.

* Sometimes pain interferes with the ability to be a friend. As much as you need support from others, you may have gotten out of the habit of providing support. It feels just as good to give as to receive. Make a list of the important people in your life and list the ways in which you can support them.

*  To decrease the sense of isolation that may come with chronic pain, each day make small but regular connections with others. Email, text, phone or use Facebook or Pinterest to stay in touch and involved.

*  Sometimes people with chronic pain find themselves focusing on what their pain has taken away. After you have spent time with friends, try to focus on what you enjoyed, what felt good and what went right.

 

Pain Pathways   Fall 2013

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