Two Things You Can Do To Overcome Pain

It can be helpful to think of pain in terms of the “cup of resilience” metaphor.*

Stressors that can cause Pain

How Stressors Cause Pain

The cup represents your body’s ability to tolerate stress, into which you pour stressors such as a poor night’s sleep, worrying about money, arguing with a loved one, work stress, lack of physical activity and exercise, passive coping strategies, depressive symptoms and so on.

The cup metaphor suggests that pain occurs when all of the stressors in our lives exceed the space in our cup. When the cup overflows, we experience pain.

So how can you stop your cup from overflowing? Well, there are two things you can do to overcome pain:

1. decrease some of the stressors to stop your cup from overflowing

2. build a bigger cup

The stressors in the cup are not all inherently bad when you are gradually exposed to them, as they can help you to tolerate more, improve your coping skills and develop resilience against current and future life stressors.

What are the two things you can do to overcome pain? 1. Manage, and decrease your stressors:

• Seek support and reassurance

• Get educated about your stressors

• Avoid aggravating activities

• Do isometric exercises

• Modify activities

• Utilise medication and relaxation

• Receive manual therapy

• Symptom modification: manipulation, Graston, Kinesio taping, dry needling and/or massage

2. Build a bigger cup to become more resilient:

• Get healthier: exercise & get active.

• Build positive beliefs

• Improve your mood

• Improve your coping mechanisms

• Make better food choices

• Improve your sleep habits

• Introduce gradual physical loading

What stressors do you have in your cup?

What stressors do you have in your cup?

If you’re unsure where to start, and what some help working out your stressors, Click here to book a free consultation call, and we’ll talk through your pain, your goals, and the best way to move forward with confidence. * Thank you Greg Lehman