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Healing, Strengthening, and Advancing the Lives of LGBTQ People Seeking Recovery

Can Mental Tricks Manage Pain? Day 9

Positive thinking Mental Trick 9: Not surprisingly, patients who suffer unrelenting pain can tend to have repetitive, negative thoughts, but these can serve to actually increase the pain. Try to switch to more positive thoughts and, in particular, avoid catastrophizing or imagining the worst. “Somebody’s thinking is very powerful and very important to the management of pain,” says Singles. One study found that cognitive behavioral therapy—which focuses on changing thought patterns—combined with a self-help manual provided relief to patients with unexplained pain, weakness, and dizziness.

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