099: Living with and Moving Beyond Chronic Pain

"Of course we want pain to end, absolutely, but paradoxically, the fastest way to get through this is to get through it, is to be in it, to be with it...What we want to do is imagine that pain has a positive purpose, that there's a reason that pain has shown up. It's trying to show us something and in a sense, really, it's a signal and it's a messenger whether it's emotional or physical, but it's part of us trying to ask for help, it's part of us - in this sense, it's the feeling of us trying to heal something. It's that part of us that says 'I need help, I'm out of whack here, I'm out of balance, you need to pay attention to me.'" 11.2% of American adults experience some form of pain, often at severe levels every day and have for the previous three months. A 2006 survey from the American Pain Foundation found that the vast majority of pain sufferers feel they have no control over their pain, that it severely impacts their quality of life, while 77% of the participants surveyed reported feeling depressed. Chronic pain can cause both mental health struggles, trouble in interpersonal relationships and feelings of powerlessness or and loss of identity. When Sarah Anne Shockley was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, her entire life changed. Due to acute, chronic pain, she found herself fighting and enduring every day for years. What began as a battle became a journey of understanding and redefining pain for in the hopes of healing and ultimately living a fuller life. Sarah is the author of The Pain Companion: Everyday Wisdom For Living With and Moving Beyond Chronic Pain. She has been a columnist for Pain News Network and is a regular contributor to The Mighty. Sarah is a multiple award-winning producer and director of educational films, including Dancing From The Inside Out. She has also worked in high-tech management, as a corporate trainer, and teaching undergraduate and graduate business administration. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. In This Podcast, Dr. Viado and Sarah Shockley Discuss: Sarah's experience with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Experiencing pain in a pain avoidant society Changing our mindset to sit beside pain Viewing pain like a wounded animal How to support a loved one in pain Links https://www.thepaincompanion.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thepaincompanion https://twitter.com/thpaincompanion https://linkedin.com/in/sarahshockley Book http://a.co/0FrMWKp