What are the different methods to control pain with the mind

Pain is related to both the body and the mind and is not just a physical sensation. 

According to Harvard Medical School, how pain is felt in the United States relates to emotions, personality, lifestyle, genetics and previous experiences.

Pain is so crucial that If the person has been exposed to pain for an extended period, the brain may have been modified to perceive the signals of the body’s discomfort even when it has been gone.

According to the UK National Health Service, the main symptom of some specific conditions, such as fibromyalgia, is widespread pain that can be felt throughout the body.

The discomfort due to pain is continuous: the sensations of pain, stabbing and burning are constantly present, although pain can worsen or improve at different periods.

a healthier alternative to avoid a chronic condition

One of the best ways to deal with chronic conditions, or almost any other type of physical ailment, is to modify the mental perception of pain.

This makes it possible to increase the tolerance threshold and reduce the need to resort to medications that can cause side effects and even addiction.

There are a series of mental techniques to help combat pain recommended by Harvard Medical School.

Various scientific studies show that these alternative therapies have effectively relieved headaches, back pain and fibromyalgia.

1- Full attention

“This technique involves focusing on the present without making any judgments,” explains neurologist Sara Lazar of Massachusetts General Hospital in the US.

For many researchers, the first impulse in the face of pain is to try to “push it away” in some defined way.

On the other hand, in the case of mindfulness, to control pain, however, getting closer to the sensation and learning to know it by “observing” it objectively is sought.

The idea is to focus on the moment you are in, avoiding past and future concerns.

This could be done by considering elements such as the following: where does what is felt begin? Does it change as time goes by? How can it be described?

2- Deep breathing

This technique is fundamental to the other alternatives that are used to help how to manage pain conditions.

In this condition, inhale deeply for a few seconds and then exhale.

For example, each inhale, you can say, “Welcome, relaxation.” As you exhale, “goodbye negativity.”

3- Meditation and visualisation

In this case, the process begins by paying attention to the breath, following the technique referred to above.

This is done in an environment of total relaxation, without noise or distracting stimuli, with background music that invokes that feeling.

Additionally, think of a place associated with tranquillity, peace and pleasure—a beach with the sound of the waves. Birds are singing in a rural landscape.

If the mind wanders and starts thinking about other things, the image that evokes tranquillity is brought back.

4- Concentration and positivity

Concentration and positivity are an activity that you enjoy another option. It can be anything that generates taste and pleasure: reading poetry, taking walks in green spaces, cooking, gardening.

The goal is to concentrate entirely on what you are doing and the minor details, noticing how your senses react and what sensations you feel.

When the person is not well, they usually think only about what they cant be done.

Directing that attention to what can be done helps to stop thinking about the pain. Keeping a journal and regularly writing down the reasons or things you’re grateful for is one way to do this, explains Harvard Medical School psychiatry professor Ellen Slawsby.

5 – relaxation response to control pain

Relaxation is the antidote to the stress that generates pain. It allows for controlling the increase in the heartbeat and the reactions of the organism, which goes into alert when a person is stressed.

In this case, to bypass pain, the first thing is to close your eyes and relax all body muscles.

Next, pay attention to your breath. Use the word “recharge” to bring your focus back to your breath if thoughts appear.

This process requires 10 to 20 minutes to be spent; the return of thoughts is subsequently allowed, and the eyes open.