| I cannot stress enough how important it is to get | | | | Not only does chronic pain cause enormous stress in |
| the right coping skills and help in order to keep from | | | | our lives, but we are unable to manage it. |
| giving up or giving in. People with Fibromyalgia | | | | All people have stress in their lives which may be |
| Syndrome (FM), Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP) and | | | | unavoidable. FM and other chronic pain sufferers have |
| any other chronic pain conditions, can benefit from | | | | even more. Counseling and/or stress management |
| counseling by a certified therapist for: stressful life | | | | can help us cope with our symptoms and improve |
| conditions, depression and/or anxiety, abuse histories, | | | | our overall reactions to stress. |
| adjustment issue to chronic illness, poor support | | | | I have been seeing a certified therapist that has |
| system and many other challenges we face. | | | | really helped me discover some of the issues that |
| There is a connection between FM, CMP and | | | | may contribute to my pain. It’s also not just |
| depression. The stress from constant pain and | | | | about the here and now, but past experiences that |
| fatigue can cause anxiety, depression, inactivity and | | | | we think are in the past, are really still simmering in |
| social isolation. It is also possible that anxiety and | | | | our sub-conscious, affecting our emotional state and |
| depression are part of FM and CMP, just like the | | | | our inability to cope with the stress that’s right in |
| pain. Depression and chronic pain can greatly | | | | front of us. I resisted therapy for years! I did not |
| interfere with the way you cope with activities at | | | | want to go to yet another doctor that I would have |
| home or at work. As a sufferer myself, I know | | | | to convince that my pain is real and not “all in my |
| exactly what that’s like. | | | | head”. It took seeing several different |
| Chronic pain sufferers most often need a | | | | counselors before I found one that REALLY GOT |
| combination of medications (I am on an | | | | IT! It feels like a GREAT weigh has been lifted off |
| anti-depressant and several other meds), alternative | | | | my shoulders. My stress and anxiety are becoming |
| therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy, and a change | | | | manageable and I feel less and less depressed. |
| in lifestyle habits. So it is important to openly discuss | | | | Counselors trained in treating FM and other chronic |
| any symptoms of depression you have with our | | | | pain patients can be very helpful, but we have to put |
| doctors. Medication is not enough by itself and | | | | in some work ourselves. Its not easy to make the |
| some prescription drugs make our depression and | | | | changes required to make therapy successful, but |
| anxiety worse. | | | | we need to correct the self-defeating thoughts and |
| Some people with fibromyalgia and chronic pain may | | | | actions that have led us to seek help from a |
| be aware they are depressed. Others may not | | | | professional in the first place. |
| realize they are depressed, but they know something | | | | Research shows that a combined multidisciplinary |
| is just is not right. | | | | treatment approach is the most effective way to |
| Researchers have found that fibromyalgia patients | | | | achieve symptom relief. There is no cure for |
| have an inability to process and handle stress. Studies | | | | fibromyalgia, but there is hope if we seek and get |
| have shown that the breakdown in the adrenals, | | | | the right help! Counseling can really make a |
| hypothalamus, pituitary and thyroid glands play a key | | | | difference along with the other treatments you may |
| role in FM patients’ lack of coping mechanisms. | | | | be receiving! |