How Do You Handle Pain?

The Psychology of Pain

Learning to move safely in order to relieve suffering as you get things off your chest is key.  Learn to ground yourself.  Learn to breathe.

Shock, Grief, Learning, Adjusting

 "It’s important to be kind to yourself", says Diana Naranjo, a PhD, who works with patients managing diabetes and cystic fibrosis.  "When you first learn about the illness, there’s often a trauma response: shock and grief about the loss of a healthy self. You’re also taking in a lot of information — a data download — about your condition. Learning and adjusting can create a lot of stress. Next comes maintenance. There will be moments when you feel good and there will be moments of burnout, when you feel really disengaged and overwhelmed. Burnout is normal, so don’t get freaked out. The whole family — especially one with young children — can be affected".  Dr. Naranjo says that the emotional weight is just as significant as the physical one.  Stanford Magazine, Sept 22, 2025.

A Disconnect from the Body

Yet getting treatment for depression associated with illness can be challenging. Many physicians aren’t trained to speak to patients about depression, and many patients either lack awareness of their mental health state or don’t feel comfortable enough to bring it up. But, even if patients were to end up visiting a mental health specialist, psychologists may not have the background to understand the particular mental health challenges that come with living with chronic illness.  John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health, Dec 16, 2121.  Doctors may be well equipped for the biomedical aspects of care but not for the challenges of understanding the psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of illness and health.

Emotional Expression

Healthy coping, however, differs from the popular notion of “positive thinking.” It implies the capacity to tolerate and express concerns and emotions not just the ability to put anxieties aside. Being able to discuss the anxieties, uncertainties and fears, losses and sadness that usually accompany severe illness is generally helpful, despite the pressure commonly exerted by family and friends for the patient to always “keep a positive out-look.” 25.Spiegel D. Healing words: emotional expression and disease outcome [editorial]. JAMA 1999;281:1328. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]. 

Invest in Yourself

Invest in yourself.  Working with a Yoga Therapist is movement and therapy in one session.  With my client, it was essential to first make her comfortable.  Then the breathing exercises.  Then the grounding.  Then, I taught her a few basic poses she could do without pain.  We laughed and we cried together.

Learning to move safely in order to relieve suffering as you get things off your chest is key.  Learn to ground yourself.  Learn to breathe. 

Thank you for being part of this yoga community and for the care you bring to your body and mind every day.

This Week at Yoga by Dayna

This week I will teaching at Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets.  Stay tuned for a last minute update on Monday's schedule.  It is possible that I'll be able to teach Delicious Deep Stretch at 11:45 am virtually.  Private students who elected to do so will receive their uniquely recorded session one hour before our regularly scheduled time.