Challenge
The practice of challenging negative thoughts and cognitively restructuring distorted beliefs is a core element of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pain (CBT-P).
This technique helps you create new neural connections to cope with pain more effectively, which improves your quality of life and general well-being.
Steps to practice challenging negative thoughts:
Chronic pain can lead to negative thoughts that significantly impact emotional well-being and quality of life. To address them effectively, we propose a practical approach based on these steps:
- Identify negative thoughts: Recognize distorted thoughts or unhelpful beliefs associated with chronic pain.
- Challenge thoughts: Question the veracity and usefulness of negative thoughts, looking for evidence that supports or reinforces them.
- Cognitive restructuring: Modify negative thoughts with more realistic and useful beliefs, using techniques such as searching for alternatives, changing perspective and generating positive thoughts.
- Regular practice: Apply these steps regularly in situations where these negative thoughts arise, until you internalize the new thoughts.
How to identify negative thoughts?
Distorted thinking is like a kind of trap that your mind can fall into. It's like your brain tricks you into believing things that aren't entirely true. These thoughts can make you feel emotionally bad and also influence how you perceive pain.
Some common types of distorted thoughts include:
- Catastrophize: Thinking in extreme terms about pain, such as assuming the worst or anticipating a future full of suffering due to pain.
- Personalization: Blaming yourself for chronic pain, assuming it is a consequence of some past action.
- All or nothing: Seeing the world in absolute terms, such as believing that if a treatment does not completely relieve pain, then it is useless.
- Disqualification of the positive: Ignoring or minimizing any relief or moments of well-being, focusing solely on the pain.
- Mind reading: Believing that you know what others think about pain, assuming that they do not believe in the experience of chronic pain.
Examples:
Negative Thought: I can't go through with this, I feel overwhelmed with grief.
Positive Thought: Even though it feels overwhelming, I can move forward and find ways to manage my pain. I am here to help myself and find solutions.
Negative Thought: I'm alone in this, no one understands me.
Positive Thought: Many others with chronic pain also struggle and find ways to live with it. I am here to share experiences and find solutions together.
Negative Thought: This is all my fault for not taking care of myself when I was young, I'm stupid.
Positive Thought: I recognize that my current health may be influenced by past decisions, but blaming myself does not help me improve my current situation. Instead of beating myself up, I choose to focus on learning from my past experiences and taking positive steps to take better care of myself now. I deserve compassion and support on my path to health and well-being
Negative Thought: Everything I do only causes me more pain.
Positive Thought: There are many ways to manage chronic pain and find activities that help me stay well. I can explore different options and find what works for me.
Negative Thought: This pain will never go away.
Positive Thought: Chronic pain may be a part of my life, but it doesn't have to be the only reality. I can find ways to handle it and live my life fully, even with pain.
Negative Thought: There are times when I feel better, but then it hurts again and I'm fed up.
Positive Thought: I appreciate the moments when I feel better and I am grateful for them. Even if the pain returns, I know that I have experienced relief in the past and can feel better again in the future. I'm working on finding ways to manage the pain and take care of myself during those times.
Why is it important to practice regularly?
The process of cognitive restructuring and weakening of the neural connections associated with pain takes time. It is important to keep in mind that these neural connections have been strengthened unconsciously over time, from the first unpleasant reaction to pain, and with each reaction until today.
It's not your fault, this is the way the brain works, although it can be changed.
Practicing new ways of thinking and behaving can change the brain thanks to neuroplasticity. These neuronal changes are essential for learning, memory, recovery of functions after a brain injury, as well as for the process of cognitive restructuring in the management of conditions such as chronic pain.
By being consistent in the practice and trying to change negative thoughts as they arise, you are working to weaken the neural connections that send the sensation of pain to the brain and create new connections that promote confidence and well-being.
Keep in mind that not only pain reinforces the neural connections that we want to weaken, but also fear, since a vicious circle is created in which the fear of pain increases sensitivity to it, causing us to perceive it with greater intensity.
Therefore, we encourage you to find those thoughts that do not help you and face them bravely. With perseverance, you will be able to gain confidence and strengthen these new connections that will allow you to better manage pain and even reduce its perception.