Fibromyalgia and fear of pain

I have fibro and ocd! I’m not really scared of pain in general but being in pain forever is scary for sure. I try to celebrate my low pain days and be extra kind to myself on my high pain days. Baths and stretching release a lot for me. If you learn your limits and understand your flare up triggers it’s not as scary. You have more control than you think ❤️

A good perspective to help you through this fear is to really understand what is happening in your body and what the pain actually feels like. This may sound odd, but a good practice is to lay still, close your eyes, and take your mind’s eye/shift your attention towards the pain in your body. Start by asking yourself, where exactly is this pain? Is it in my muscles, abdomen, back, or my neck? … continue noticing and becoming curious about the sensation … Ask yourself, what type of pain is it? Is it sharp? Is it an ache, dull, or pins and needles? Again, the idea is to become observant of your pain to understand better what is actually happening in your body. As you do this practice, you may find that your mind wanders, or you start to get upset about the pain. That is okay! It is bound to happen. But as soon as you notice this, gently bring your awareness back to your practice. As you continue to observe and understand the exact source and sensation of your pain with your mind’s eye, your fear of the pain should begin to ease. You may even find the pain itself eased as you begin to perceive it as a sensation just like other sensations you experience, no longer identifying it as excruciating. It takes practice, but it has wonderful results. Real life studies have proven meditation can ease pain and illness!