When considering your behaviours please give the following some consideration....

Do you use alcohol or drugs to numb your emotions or pain? this includes your prescription medications too
Do you cause physical harm and/or damage to yourself?
Do you talk to yourself in a negative, depreciating or demeaning way?
Have you withdrawn from your life isolating yourself? Do you avoid family and friends?
Do you lash out at others angrily because of your emotions and/or pain?
Do you blame others for what you see as the barriers and/or failures in your life?  
Do you take care of your personal well-being...shower, get dressed and eat daily?

The above are a few examples of the negative pain behaviours we may exhibit in our lives. Do you notice anything about your life and behaviours in the list? Do you exhibit other behaviours that aren't listed? You know your life better than anyone else. Can you be honest with yourself? 

We can only change what we are willing to acknowledge. Changing our own behaviours can be hard...but it can be done!

Before we can change our behaviours we must first understand them. Every manner in which we behave serves a purpose. We has humans generally don't do things without reason. If we look long and hard enough, we can learn to understand the whys to how we behave. In one way or another, we are rewarded by our behaviours. Sometimes the “reward” can be a consequence in disguise.

For example:

• We eat because we are hungry. The behaviour in this case is eating. The reason is because we're hungry. The reward is that after eating we feel full.

• We go to work because we get a paycheck. The behaviour in this case is going to work. The reason is because we need money to survive. The reward is that now we can buy food and pay for our needs.

• When we are feeling anxious and lost we begin to hurt ourselves physically. The behaviour in this case is hurting ourselves. The reason is because we are feeling anxious and lost. The reward in this case is the consequence in disguise. Although we get the relief we are seeking from our self abusive behaviours, the consequence is that we are causing harm to ourselves.
  

I found this online this morning and thought it something to share....

this was copied from the chronic pain page on facebook and has been included on the facebook page for this blog at http://www.facebook.com/chronicpainandlife - to visit the facebook page for this blog you will have to copy and paste the addy as the pages aren't linked together yet.



I try every day to post something on the facebook page that is nutritional information or food for thought. I am still learning more about this in my own life and am finding some things work better than others...just like the medications.

It is important to note that what may work for one, may not work for you. I am not offering cures by sharing this information. Just as my program is for your entertainment purpose so is this information. If you have questions about the nutritional posts please speak to your doctor or dietitian.

take good care of you

Every now and then
I think back in time
And I remember you
I smile
Be nice if you did too
Memories are such funny things
Good n bad
Some fade with fuzzy edges
Others crystal clear
Some like a dream
Was it real?
I sure hope so
Cos I remember you
-crazycanuck-


When I first read this it made me think of the old me, the me I was before my accident and before my pain. I remember the way I was and I know the way I am now. After ten years of living with pain, I catch myself thinking of my life before pain and at times it seems like a dream. There were good and bad days back then too and even some painful days. Memories are such funny things aren't they? As much as I remember who I was....I know who I am now. I will always remember but I must continue to live too.

"What is keeping you down grows stronger with the amount of thought you devote to it. If DESPAIR got the best of you yesterday, allow HOPE to get the best of you today." 

~~Dodinsky~~




Picture taken in Port Stanley, ON

Small steps lead to big changes....

• educate yourself on all treatment options for your pain and explore them fully - education is your biggest advantage to gaining control of your pain
  
• challenge your thoughts and beliefs about your pain and your life with pain - challenge what you believe to be true about your life and your abilities
  
• do things that make you feel good - taking care of your emotional, mental and physical needs
  
• don't invite the negative thoughts to stay and don't give them the power to control your world and how you feel about yourself
  
• learn strategies to calm the rage in your body 
  
• don't lose your sense of humour - being able to laugh at life is one of the greatest things sometimes - laugh often
• incorporate healthy life-style choices in your life - eat well and get your exercise
  
• live for your dreams and goals instead of being kept on the sidelines of  life by your pain
  
• be gentle, loving and encouraging when you talk with yourself - words hurt and leave bruises we cannot see but last a long time - even the words we say to ourselves
  
• be active in your life - challenge your limitations and live in your abilities
• get some sleep - you probably need it
  

take good care of you

What do the words acceptance and resignation mean to you? Is there a difference in the words? Some people say that to accept a life with pain, you have to resign yourself to the fact that you will live with pain for the rest of your life and that there is nothing you can do about it. I disagree.

Resigning yourself to a life with pain is to accept the pain without involvement. It is to resign yourself to pain in your life thinking there is nothing to be done about it. When you resign yourself to a life with pain, you are in many ways giving in and giving up. 

Accepting that pain is now a part of your life is just that. You accept that your life is different. You accept that although pain is a part of your life, you are still actively involved and see a way to live your life around your pain.

In my life, I have resigned myself that I am short. I have resigned myself that I cannot change my nose. But I accept my pain as a part of who I am. I now have a new definition of what is "normal" in my life because of my pain. 

Accepting your pain doesn't mean that you still don't wish some days to be able to live one day without pain...it just means that your life is still yours to live the way you want and not the way your pain dictates. 

                         Do you accept all that you are lovingly or do you resign yourself with indifference?

"In the middle of an unrelenting storm, sometimes your mind may begin to waver. During those times let your heart assume control. For when you feel you are running out of options, trusting yourself will help carry you through." 

~~Dodinsky~~



Picture taken in Collingwood, ON

Before we get to the medication I need to remind you...

• that what I am providing is NOT meant in any way to replace the conversation between you, your doctor, or your pharmacist
  
• please do not self-diagnose or make medical decisions about this drug without talking with qualified professionals
• I am not a doctor, nor have I gone to Med school
• the information provided here is the reference sheet you would find at WebMD. During my journey I found this site to be helpful in providing support. All credit for this information belongs to them. I copied it right from their website and I have removed the hyper-links. Please visit their site if you would like to read further.

For this installment I have chosen  Naproxen Sodium 

You may know Naproxen as "Aleve" and can it be found over-the-counter (OTC). It is important to mention that even with OTC medications there are still risks of over-dose. As with any medications, OTC medications need to be monitored for their use. Each OTC medication will come with an information leaflet providing the important information about the drug. If you no longer have the leaflet for your OTC medication, please read the bottle. The most important information can be found there.

Many OTC medications are not indicated for use for diabetics, kidney/liver problems, glaucoma, some heart conditions, and high blood pressure for example. If you are unsure about starting any OTC medications, please speak with your pharmacist.

It is also important to note that you can get a prescription for Naproxen Sodium from your doctor. If you have any questions about what is provided here....talk with your doctor or pharmacist please.