Toxic positivity is now the premier coping mechanism touted for dealing with chronic pain. Doctors have decided that pain is all in the attitude, and if someone is in pain, they’re not being optimistic enough. This has horrifying results for people in pain whose doctors are blaming them for their own suffering, and telling them…Continue reading How chronic pain is brushed away by toxic positivity
Tag: pain management
How racism in pain management endangers the lives of Black Americans
Racism in pain management has been around since the beginning of medical care, but thanks to the opioid crisis, it’s really ramped up in the last few years. It’s become so prevalent that now doctors are patting themselves on the back because they’re “saving” Black people from the opioid crisis by being racist. Doctors racist…Continue reading How racism in pain management endangers the lives of Black Americans
5 tools to relieve chronic pain without pain medication
This post includes affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy for more details. A while back I wrote a post called “5 tools for chronic pain.” A lot has changed in my life and in my health since then so I thought it was time for an update. I’m a big proponent of allowing people…Continue reading 5 tools to relieve chronic pain without pain medication
When your doctor insists you’re faking your illness
Being accused of faking your illness is a right of passage for anyone who lives with a chronic illness. If they don’t outright accuse you of faking, they give you terrible advice. Here are some simple solutions that have been presented to me by various doctors in their true desire to be helpful. 1. Exercise…Continue reading When your doctor insists you’re faking your illness
Top 5 most effective pain management techniques for chronic pain
This post includes affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy for more details With the latest obsession about the “opioid epidemic” doctors and politicians are increasingly phasing out medication as a treatment for pain. Most often they like to point out that there are a number of coping techniques that people can use to deal…Continue reading Top 5 most effective pain management techniques for chronic pain
What the pain acceptance movement misses about chronic pain
Anyone who lives with chronic pain is aware of the backlash against opioids for chronic pain and the treatment of pain in general. This backlash has emerged because of the so-called “opioid crisis” which puts the blame on people in pain instead of the dangerous illegal drugs on the street. Some doctors are now taking patients…Continue reading What the pain acceptance movement misses about chronic pain
How access to opioids changed my life
I’ve shared before how I came to be on opioids for chronic pain. My pain levels had basically gotten so high I was almost bedridden. I couldn’t take care of my kids, I couldn’t work, I couldn’t do anything that required walking or standing of any sort. Luckily for me, I was a patient of…Continue reading How access to opioids changed my life
You can’t just “try harder” when you live with chronic pain
People with chronic pain are constantly told that they need to try harder or put more effort into fixing their pain. For example, I found myself walking out of a meeting recently. It wasn’t a situation where anyone was trying to be insensitive or judgmental, and I wasn’t being criticized. Everyone speaking had the best…Continue reading You can’t just “try harder” when you live with chronic pain