Thinking Away Pain

Waking up isn't so hard, it's the getting up part. In the morning my back is killing me and more recently it's extended to my ribs. They're just so achy in the morning, like I got punched there or something. It's odd and I don't like that. But it is a quite common symptom in autoimmune arthritis- of course bring it up with your rheumatologist if you are experiencing this. I think wake up pain and late night pain is the worst kind of pain because your focus tends to only be then pain, rather than other things. It hits you at a time when your most vulnerable, mentally and physically.

I once read that although we may experience pain in a different body part, pain always comes from our brain. It is best to keep our minds busy when we're in pain. It also explains brain fog. I try not to dwell on pain, but it's not always possible. So today I decorated my Chrismtas tree. It's a small, white little thing and it's all dressed up in red- it's warm and quite festive. I went through my wardrobe and gathered a large collection of clothes to donate. Right now I write next to my tree, all nice and cosy and I'll probably read after. Sometimes pain doesn't make it possible to do those things, but focusing on music, films or on books can usually be an option. It all depends on what you like.

“Pain is just a state of mind. You can think your way out of everything, even pain.” 

― Rodman Phillbrick, Freak the Mighty