Staying optimistic while enduring chronic pain is tough, I deal with it on a daily basis, it can be life changing with a loved one. 
Chronic pain can change your life, restricting you from doing the things you once loved and putting a strain on relationships. While it’s hard to stay positive when you or someone you love is suffering from chronic pain, it is possible to see the bright side. Here are a few suggestions on how to stay optimistic.
1. Focus on what you CAN do, not what you CAN’T.
Pain may restrict you from doing things you love, but it doesn’t have to ruin your life. If you running and jumping makes you uncomfortable, you can still derive joy from arts, crafts, music, and literature. While it’s perfectly understandable to mourn the loss of an ability, and while that ability may never be replaced, life is chock full with adventures that are accessible to all.
Chronic pain doesn’t have to restrict you from traveling, meeting other people,
volunteering, pursuing higher education, or simply finding and enjoying a brand new hobby. You might just need a slightly different approach.
2. You have a unique perspective and belong to a strong community.
Rather than see it as an unfortunate circumstance, some people with a disability choose to see their disability as a blessing – something to be grateful for. As one social justice advocate writes: “Rather than being at war with my own body, I choose to claim my disability as a positive identity. I am proud to call myself disabled because this identity associates me with people who I admire, recognizes my unique knowledge and honors my personal strength.”
Living with chronic pain, though challenging, gives you a perspective on life that is very different from those around you. You may even have knowledge and insights that others will never understand first-hand.
3. There is hope.
Medical advancement is moving at an extraordinary pace and we continue to
understand the human body more and more every day. Scientists are also inventing new technologies to enhance well being and prolong life.
Thanks to the Internet, we live in an era of solutions. For example, if you are stressed by the affordability of medication you need, consider buying your prescription medicine from an international or Canadian pharmacy online. A Canada pharmacy referral service like Rx Connected offers access to drugs much cheaper than those bought in the USA.
Moreover, it has undergone a strict regulatory approval process and only sources drugs from places that have been approved by licensing bodies.
4. Relationships don’t have to change
Chronic pain can strain relationships, leaving one partner dependent on the other, or altering weekend plans when one child in the family is suffering. However, don’t let something like chronic pain dissolve your relationships. Instead, like the first suggestion, focus on things you CAN do together. Sure, chronic pain may not mean a hike is possible today, but it can mean a very fun day learning a new board game or exploring a new part of town.
5. Lastly, remember that it’s OK to feel frustrated and angry
When you suffer from a chronic illness, it’s OK not to be happy all the time. Yours is a legitimate reason to feel angry, frustrated, or sad. Just don’t let these negative emotions consume all your energy. There are better things to do!
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Related:
Dealing With Pain Naturally
How To Relieve Pain Caused By Arthritis
A Natural Remedy To Relieves Muscle Pain and Stiffness
I have been looking for a product that will help alleviate pain in my shoulder (torn rotator cuff) and thumb joints, while a product that is a gel called Voltaren gel that is actually ibuprofen in a gel form works great and helps with the pain it is extremely expensive. Up to $70.00 per tube, ouch!!