Since 1997, I have had an ongoing battle with fibromyalgia. In 1997, most doctors had never heard of it, seldom diagnosed it, had no clue what to do with it - and most suspected it was all in their client's heads. Although a lot more people know about it today - thanks in part to pharmaceutical companies who have suddenly discovered an untapped market - there are still a lot of unknowns about this condition. And many people still mistakenly believe it is a psychosomatic illness. Thank goodness there has been enough research completed now that it is increasingly rare to come across people who have to be convinced that the condition is real and physiologically based.

Just about the only medications that truly help with this condition are opioids. For those unfamilar - these are narcotics such as morphine - that can be both a blessing and a curse for those who must manage pain over a long period of time. They have many serious side-effects - of which the most serious is their addictive nature. I have seen more than one person turn to these drugs as a last resort for fibromyalgia. And each has paid a severe price. Although their perception of pain has been decreased, the overall impacts of the condition have not been managed. Slowly these individuals have become more and more disabled.

I cannot fault anyone who tries these medications. The pain of a fibromyalgia flair can be devastating. But one of my heart's desires in my own hypnosis work is to help people with chronic pain to find ways NOT to "Successfully Live With Chronic Pain" - but to "Live Successfully in Spite of Chronic Pain".

In the coming weeks, I'll post some things I've learned along the way - and that I am using in my own hypnosis - to live successfully! I would love to hear from others who have put this wonderful tool to work on chronic pain conditions. Here are just a few notes for this evening:

(1) If someone states they have a chronic pain condition, we must of course be certain they have first seen a physician. Our bodies hurt for a reason - to tell us something is not quite right. Be certain the client knows why they are hurting and take all the normal ethical, legal, responsible steps that are expected of a professional hypnotist!

(2) We know that our words can frame our thoughts and influence our actions. We might be eager to get a client with chronic pain to immediately "put it in their past". But remember that many of us were beat up for years by people telling us the pain was in our head and we are very sensitive about being asked to not use words like "chronic" or to use words like "discomfort" instead of "pain". I can guarantee you the client will be thinking "Yeah, right, it hurts like hell every day - and has for years - and nothing I say or don't say is going to change that!" The client may also have tried countless ways of getting rid of the pain and other manifestations of this condition - only to be discouraged time and again. So even if they appear to go along with you - be aware that they may be very (and rightfully) suspicious of anything that sounds "too good to be true".

My approach is to begin by affirming that the person can be very comfortable knowing that hypnosis can help them manage their pain. (Comfort is something they may not have had for many years). I tell them they may be surprised to find that it disappears for hours, days, weeks, even months at a time. (It may disappear forever - but most people are happy to start with hours and days. Even weeks and months may seem like a pipedream at first.) And I reassure them that if, at any time it does return, they will have the necessary tools to diminish it and can use those tools for the rest of their lives. (Control is another thing they may feel has been taken from them. It helps to know they are getting some of that back.)

Gotta run for now. Would love to hear any feedback on these first two points! 

Have a great evening!