Ask PBC: Your Mental Health Q&A Q. I’ve struggled with chronic pain for a long time. Nothing seems to help. My activities have shrunk, as has my social life. What can I do? Occupational Therapist Carol Leslie, OT/L, CHT, CWC, responds: Chronic pain is omnipresent, always there, although its intensity waxes and wanes. Pain affects the whole body, even if only one part was initially injured. People suffering from chronic pain may exhibit behaviors that only reinforce that they have pain. These behaviors can isolate them from others who don’t know how to relate. People may begin to lose who they were before they were hurt; get depressed, angry, perhaps start drinking too much alcohol, or popping too many pain pills, and the problem “grows horns.” There is a lot you can do, however, to improve your quality of life despite pain! Daily, gentle stretches – Initially remain within your comfort zone in range, moving slowly, nothing rapid, remembering to exhale on exertion, performing perhaps 5 repetitions of 5 gentle exercises, stretching neck, back, arms, and legs, even if you have to sit to do this. Progress over 3-4 weeks to slowly increase the range of motion, aim for 10-15 repetitions, and begin to add extra exercises, aiming for 10 exercises. There are a myriad of stretches you can find on the internet, or in fitness magazines or beginner’s yoga. Body mechanics – Try to use your legs to lift anything from the floor, bending your knees, holding the item close to your body. Avoid twisting, instead turn your whole body to change directions. Work simplification – Set up your easy chair, office chair, or work station so that items are within reach of your finger tips without having to bend forward, sideways, or twist to get them. If you visualize a semi-circle from one side of you, running in front, and over to the other side, that ought to be your work area; also imagine gently reaching upward with each hand without having to stretch – that will be the best height of your work, and likewise, reaching downward beside you from a seated position, without bending sideways, that is your optimum lower position. Energy conservation – By setting up your workstation, you can perform several tasks without getting out of a chair, your checkbook with a pen, bills and stamps to pay bills, phone to call friends, TV remote to watch a movie while you fold laundry, a refreshment off to the side. Conserve your energy for the bigger activities on your list. Alternate heavy and light activities and seated and standing or walking activities. Make a plan! Mind-body – When you feel helpless, out of control, or frustrated, pain worsens. Communicate about your pain, certainly, but end your sentence with what is good in your world. Learn yoga, breathwork, relaxation training, all of which lower blood pressure, lower muscle tension, increase energy, and help reverse the impact of pain. Swimming helps maintain and even increases your range of motion. The water makes you buoyant, and is somewhat blissful, even spiritual, to relax where you can float, or swim, without a care in the world. Planned pleasure – So many pain sufferers delay doing what they love. They wait to see “how they feel” before making plans. This quickly adds up to isolation, loneliness, loss of pleasure, and depression. It is vital to use pleasure like your medications. Plan it especially when you don’t feel like it. Deliberately plan on laughter. It’s as good a cure as any! “Your Mental Health Q&A” is part of a Beachwood community service program provided by PBC. Email your questions to info@psychbc.com. 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