Is Pain Acceptance Really A Thing?

With fibromyalgia patients, the pain is usually always there and affects almost every aspect of their lives. There is currently no cure. The treatment options can range from massages and physical therapy, to gentle exercise programs and medications. While they all have their benefits, many of them still have their side effects and downfalls.

Recently, there has been a bigger push to help deal with chronic pain with therapy.  Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has recently been found to provide chronic pain sufferers with much needed relief. But, this form of therapy doesn't necessarily take the pain away at all. In fact, the intensity of the pain would remain the same. The therapy is meant to change the patient's ability to accept that they need to live with the pain.

So what exactly is ACT?

It's a form of therapy that involves mindfulness, acceptance and a number of behavior modification strategies.  Basically, it's a series of psychological-based exercises that are designed to help those who suffer from chronic pain to cope with it without the use of pain medications, which can cause negative effects for the patient. 

The point of ACT is not to eliminate or forget or even ignore the feelings and challenges that come with chronic pain but rather, accept them and learn to move on with life.

ACT aims to help those who have to face difficult situations.  Aside from those who are dealing with chronic pain, ACT has also been used to help those who are facing any kind of long term challenges.  Workplace stress, caring for an ill loved one or any financial burden are all prime examples of when to use ACT.

ACT may also be very useful in helping those with fibromyalgia. Fibro is considered a syndrome that causes a number of different symptoms. Patients who have the disease often experience extreme fatigue, cognitive decline, sleep disorders and chronic pain.

Fibromyalgia is a life-altering condition, where many patient find themselves struggling to maintain their daily routine. This disease doesn't just cause the patient to experience debilitating pain, it can also lead to depression and other mental health issues.

For fibromyalgia patients, a therapeutic option like ACT just might be what they need to help them cope with the pain.  The disease affects everybody differently. For some people, it can be intense and your nerves can feel like that they're exploding underneath your skin. For others, you may experience a nagging headache that turns severe and never actually goes away. 

As psychologists learn more about ACT, the more they see how it can benefit those with chronic pain, specifically those who suffer from the debilitating pain caused by fibromyalgia.

Read on to learn just how pain acceptance may help fibromyalgia patients.