Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NY Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University New York, New York
The experience of developing chronic pain is often significant, and there is a wide range of responses associated with the process of acceptance and adaptation. Feelings of helplessness, a reduced sense of control in the face of pain, grief, and adjustment to shifting social roles can all be part of the chronic pain experience. Ways of coping with life changes that occur with chronic pain are wide ranging. At times, in the face of chronic and acute pain, individuals may revert to a younger state of mind than their actual biological age as a way of coping with anxiety, fear, and emotional distress. This presentation will include a discussion of possible explanations for why people regress to a younger age, which may include psychological trauma intertwined with physical injury, anxiety, neurological conditions, and altered mental states. Additionally, psychological concepts such as locus of control, role of a powerful other, attachment, and self-efficacy could be helpful for understanding why certain individuals regress. Finally, interventions such as mindfulness based therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy, hypnotherapy, and insight-oriented therapies will be discussed as approaches that may assist chronic pain sufferers in finding a new personal identity and living a meaningful life in the face of pain.
