Controlled breathing You don’t have to be an expert meditator to reap the benefits of breathing. Practicing deep, diaphragmatic breathing (that’s breathing from the belly…
Distraction Pain is actually a survival mechanism designed to get our attention, but when pain is chronic, it can become more of an emotional issue,…
Saying a mantra Repeating a mantra—usually a sound, word, phrase, or a prayer—is a common practice in many religions and it can relieve pain as…
A smartphone-based application helped people in recovery from alcohol use disorders to cut down on drinking days, according to a recent clinical trial conducted by…
Visualization If you visualize your pain as a throbbing, red mass, try to slowly shrink it or make it pink and soft. Or imagine yourself…
Activating Pressure Points Also known as self massage, applying pressure to areas that hurt, especially if it’s a tension headache or muscle pain, can be…
FACT: An estimated 32% of fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated driver or pedestrian. Drinking alcohol and driving simply do not go together. The human…
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…
Listening to music Music can provide a welcome distraction, but also offers so much more. One study, which looked at rheumatoid arthritis patients and others…
Writing Mental Trick 11Getting your thoughts and feelings on paper has been shown to relieve pain in many different populations. It can even enhance immune…