Taming the Twin Demons: How Mental Wellness Can Be Your Secret Weapon for Pain Management
Chronic pain is a relentless foe, impacting millions in the UK. While medication and physical therapy are crucial, a growing body of research suggests a powerful, often overlooked weapon: mental health management.
Here’s why prioritizing your mental well-being can be a game-changer for pain management:
The Mind-Body Connection: Pain isn’t just physical. Stress, anxiety, and depression can amplify pain signals and worsen discomfort. A 2023 study by King’s College London found a strong link between chronic pain and depression, highlighting the crucial role of mental health in pain perception.
Breaking the Cycle: Chronic pain can lead to negative thoughts and fear of movement, creating a vicious cycle. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be highly effective in managing pain. A 2022 NHS report that CBT can help individuals identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns, ultimately reducing pain intensity and improving coping mechanisms.
Stress Reduction: Chronic pain can be incredibly stressful. Techniques like mindfulness meditation, relaxation exercises, and deep breathing have all been shown to reduce stress hormones and improve pain tolerance. A recent University of Oxford study published in the British Journal of Pain demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing pain intensity and improving sleep quality in individuals with chronic pain.
Empowering Yourself: Taking control of your well-being fosters a sense of empowerment. By learning skills to manage stress and negative emotions, you become an active participant in managing your pain. This feeling of control can significantly improve your overall well-being.
Taking Action:
Talk to Your Doctor: Discuss your mental health concerns and explore strategies for managing them alongside your pain management plan.
Explore Therapy: Consider therapy options like CBT or mindfulness-based therapy. Resources are available through the NHS or private providers.
Self-Care Practices: Prioritize sleep, healthy eating, and regular exercise. These habits directly impact both physical and mental health.
Support Groups: Connecting with others who understand chronic pain can be invaluable. Look for local support groups or online forums.
Embrace Breathwork: Simple breathing exercises can be incredibly effective in managing pain. A 2024 study by Queen Mary University of London found that breathwork techniques like diaphragmatic breathing significantly reduced pain intensity and improved mood in chronic pain patients.
Free Mental Health Courses: Consider free online courses offered by organisations like Impact Mental Health. Our courses can equip you with valuable tools for managing stress, anxiety, and negative thought patterns, all of which can contribute to chronic pain.
Remember, managing chronic pain is a journey, not a destination. By prioritising your mental health, you equip yourself with powerful tools to manage pain, improve your quality of life, and reclaim control of your well-being. Explore the resources available and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you.
Impact’s 4 week, 8 sessions mental well-being programme – YOUR Choice.
An inspiring, empowering and educational wellbeing course, helping you to understand and learn what you can do to help yourself manage your mind, your emotions and build total wellbeing resilience for the future.
If you feel you need to make some important changes to have the kind of life you really want, this course is for you.
Delivered each Wednesday & Thursday for 8 sessions on the following days:
Day 1 Wednesday 18th Sept, 2024
Day 2 Thursday 19th Sept, 2024
Day 3 Wednesday 25th Sept, 2024
Day 4 Thursday 26th Sept, 2024
Day 5 Wednesday 2rd Oct, 2024
Day 6 Thursday 3rd Oct, 2024
Day 7 Wednesday 9th Oct. 2024
Day 8 Thursday 10th Oct, 2024
Time for each session
9:30am – 2:30pm with plenty of breaks!
Delivered live online using Zoom
The information packed Mind Time Course is designed to educate, support and empower people to immediately start to work on understanding & improving their mental wellbeing, and is delivered over two evenings.
This is a fantastic course on its own for time-strapped people looking to make instant change to their wellbeing, or as a taster course before joining us on one of our longer day time courses.
This course offers a free One-to-One session after course completion
Dates
Tuesday 8th Oct 2024
Wednesday 9th Oct, 2024
Times for each session
6.30 to 9.30pm
Delivered live online using Zoom
The YOU Programme can be an important first step to feeling better, improving your mental health and wellbeing and getting your life back on track through supporting education, peer empowerment and learning how to manage uncomfortable thoughts, emotions and behaviours.
Day 1 – Tuesday 15th Oct, 2024
Day 2 – Thursday 17th Oct, 2024
Day 3 – Tuesday 22nd Oct, 2024
Day 4 – Thursday 24th Oct, 2024
Time for each session
9:30am – 2:30pm
Delivered live online using Zoom and with lots of breaks.
The WKND Unlock Menopause Course has been designed for busy women unable to join us on our regular courses. Our aim is to support, inform and educate those who want to have a better understanding of what is happening to their bodies and minds, whilst learning what can be done to ease some of the more common symptoms associated with Menopause.
This Weekend Course offers Two optional 1:1 Support Sessions on completion of the course.
Day 1 – Saturday 18th Oct, 2024
Day 2 – Sunday 19th Oct, 2024
Time for each session
9:30am – 3:30pm
Delivered live online using Zoom
Impact’s 4 week, 8 sessions mental well-being programme – YOUR Choice.
An inspiring, empowering and educational wellbeing course, helping you to understand and learn what you can do to help yourself manage your mind, your emotions and build total wellbeing resilience for the future.
If you feel you need to make some important changes to have the kind of life you really want, this course is for you.
Delivered each Wednesday & Thursday for 8 sessions on the following days:
Day 1 Wednesday 6th Nov, 2024
Day 2 Thursday 7th Nov, 2024
Day 3 Wednesday 13th Nov, 2024
Day 4 Thursday 14th Nov, 2024
Day 5 Wednesday 20th Nov, 2024
Day 6 Thursday 21st Nov, 2024
Day 7 Wednesday 27th Nov. 2024
Day 8 Thursday 28th Nov, 2024
Time for each session
9:30am – 2:30pm with plenty of breaks!
Delivered live online using Zoom
The information packed Mind Time Course is designed to educate, support and empower people to immediately start to work on understanding & improving their mental wellbeing, and is delivered over two evenings.
This is a fantastic course on its own for time-strapped people looking to make instant change to their wellbeing, or as a taster course before joining us on one of our longer day time courses.
This course offers a free One-to-One session after course completion
Dates
Tuesday 12th Nov 2024
Wednesday 13th Nov, 2024
Times for each session
6.30 to 9.30pm
Delivered live online using Zoom
The Unlock Menopause Course has been designed by people who have been through, are going through, or have just begun their unique journey with Menopause. Our aim is to support, inform and educate those who want to have a better understanding of what is happening to their bodies and minds, whilst learning what can be done to ease some of the more common symptoms associated with Menopause.
Day 1 – Tuesday 19th Nov, 2024
Day 2 – Thursday 21st Nov, 2024
Day 3 – Tuesday 26th Nov, 2024
Day 4 – Thursday 28th Nov, 2024
Day 5 – Tuesday 3rd Dec, 2024
Day 6 – Thursday 5th Dec, 2024
Time for each session
9:30am – 2:30pm
Delivered live online using Zoom
The information packed Mind Time Course is designed to educate, support and empower people to immediately start to work on understanding & improving their mental wellbeing, and is delivered over two evenings.
This is a fantastic course on its own for time-strapped people looking to make instant change to their wellbeing, or as a taster course before joining us on one of our longer day time courses.
This course offers a free One-to-One session after course completion
Dates
Tuesday 10th Dec, 2024
Wednesday 11th Dec, 2024
Times for each session
6.30 to 9.30pm
Delivered live online using Zoom
https://www.impactmh.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Twin-Demons.jpg10801920Deanne Clarkhttps://www.impactmh.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/logo-v8.1.pngDeanne Clark2024-07-18 14:56:122024-07-18 15:59:11How Mental Wellness Can Be Your Secret Weapon for Pain Management
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Please note there will be no Feel Good Friday session this week due to circumstances beyond our control.
We'll be back again next month.
Have a good weekend.
Please note there will be no Feel Good Friday session today.
We'll be back again next month.
Have a good weekend.
The next Unlock Menopause Course starts this Tuesday, 23rd January.
There are only a few spaces available, so if you would like to find out more, follow the link below.
The next Unlock Menopause Course starts this Tuesday, 23rd January.
There are only a few spaces available, so if you would like to find out more, follow the link below.
Hi! Please note, we will be closed for a Spring Break between 31st May to 10th June, and re-open on 11th June.
However, you can still enrol for our online courses via our course calendar.
Hi! Please note, we will be closed for a Spring Break between 31st May to 10th June, and re-open on 11th June.
However, you can still enrol for our online courses via our course calendar.
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