Sometimes the alarm stays sensitive even after healing has begun. This doesn’t mean the pain isn’t real—it means your nervous system may need time and support to settle.
Unhelpful thinking patterns happen when we negatively define or make assumptions about situations that cause us distress. We may do this as a protective measure or to make sense of circumstances beyond our control. These thoughts are often black and white because we find comfort in having answers even when the answers are not entirely true.
Pain is real! It’s not all in your head. Here are some strategies for changing the way we think about pain so that we can break the negative thought-pain cycle.