Have you ever thought that the way you feel and experience the pain is the same as others does, but everyone copes with the chronic pain differently. Everyone has its own strategies to feel better when in extreme pain. Some feelings are common in all of us fighting the immense storm of pain. Chronic illness can be viewed as a type of loss. It’s important to understand the emotions of your loved ones going through immense pain.
The 5 stages of chronic pain is a natural healthy process that one needs to undergo in order to mentally come to terms with their diagnosis. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross 5 stages of chronic pain describe the grief people experience when they are in chronic pain and help them to cope with their feelings sorrow.
Denial
When people finally get it that their pain is not temporary and it is not going to vanish easily they go into a state of shock and denial. Their mental state refrain them from seeking proper medical care and treatment. The absence of timely treatment further aggravates their situation.
Pleading, bargaining and desperation
People become so frustrated that they often plead for help. They blame themselves for their misery. They look for anything that plays the role of bandage for their wounds. They often bargain with God and plead to make their situation better and help them to get out of this misery.
Anger
When people finally come out of their denial phase, they have to accept the bitter reality that there is no magical cure for their problem. Then they experience extreme anger and frustration. They just get mad on anyone randomly. They shower their anger on their beloved ones like family, friends or their employers. They just want someone that can bear their frustration
Anxiety and depression
Living with a chronic pain often leads to depression and despair. People feel helpless. They feel useless as they are not able to relieve their pain. Their mind becomes occupied with thoughts of despair. They can’t focus on their daily life. They even can’t tolerate their loved ones.
Loss of self confidence and state of confusion
People living with chronic pain often lose their self confidence. This happens when they are not able to do their daily life tasks, which were not a problem for them previously. They lose an important part of their life. They feel like they have lost their identity.
Reevaluation of life, roles and goals
At last people living with chronic pain start to make peace with their sufferings. They begin to understand their limitations and life changes. They search for lifestyle that is most suitable for them. They give a new direction to their expectations. They low the standards of their imaginations and start living peacefully with their disability.
Acceptance
In the end they begin to realize and understand the reality of their condition. That doesn’t mean they are okay with the things now, they just start compromising with their condition. This compromise gives a new direction and hope to their life.
References
- Stages of Pain: Psychological Effects of Chronic Pain via Pain Scale
- Finding Acceptance: Psychological Stages of Chronic Illness via Rsn Hope
