3 Steps to Decrease Pain, Stress, and Anxiety

Use these three steps to decrease pain, stress, and anxiety to begin healing from Mind-Body Syndrome symptoms. Frequent migraines, back pain, pelvic pain, fibromyalgia, and other pain or stress-related diagnoses without any prior injuries, can make chronic pain warriors feel defeated by their bodies. The constant battle of getting through each day with pain, stress, and anxiety is truly no ease at all. If you are ready to take control of your life now and what your future holds, these tips will be useful to you!

1) Make A Decision to Take Control

There are two parts to this step. If you are ready to get rid of pain, stress or, anxiety, first you must swallow a big pill called "I Deserve More." You must actively decide that you can have more in life than simply surviving.

So, how do you do this? Begin to imagine a life that is bigger than your pain. This is a life that you are present in, make decisions, stick to plans, partake in hobbies, enjoy memorable experiences, take care of yourself, and communicate effectively to ask for help when needed.

Once you've imagined this better future for yourself that is beyond stress, pain, and anxiety, then you have conquered the toughest hurdle! The next part of this step is to commit to creating new ways to enjoy life and attain these goals in your current health state.

Step two is to track your pain, stress, and anxiety. When it occurs, duration, the reason for onset, type of physical sensation, the emotional response, and what tools you used to make it better. Keep a pain journal to log these points daily for two weeks. After two weeks, you now will have a clearer understanding of what makes you feel better and worse.

Tracking these stressors will allow you to make smart, resourceful decisions to begin your healing journey. You might realize that you respond to daily stressors more calmly, knowing that you have a self-made playbook that helps you respond more effectively to prevent increased overwhelm, discomfort and pain.

2) Take a Head-On, Holistic Approach

Sometimes it seems like a great idea to crawl into a ball or hide under the blankets in your room when life becomes too much to handle. When you struggle with Mind-Body Syndrome, increased pain or overwhelming stress and anxiety can enter into your day at any time. Sometimes without you even knowing why, especially if you do not track your daily stressors!

Negative emotional responses to pain and stress dictate the sensation you feel and the duration in time. The neuroplasticity in your brain will create stronger neural pathways to this pain response because it believes it has perceived a threat. Therefore your mind and body will stay in fight/flight/ or freeze mode, which prevents your body from being able to relax or feel better.

The best approach in these scenarios is to take on the pain and stress head-on. Observe the pain you feel and dig for the truth behind your stress. Ask yourself if you have been through this before and what can you do to make it feel better?

Rather than curling up in a ball of tears, try some relaxation techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, or slow stretching.

3) Fight Fire with Food

The food we choose to eat while under stress, mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually matters. Food can be fuel or fire to your mind and body. When we mindfully eat healthfully, food can give us energy, clear mind space, a stronger immune system, and improve our mood.

When we eat carelessly, lazily, or just choose comfort foods while in pain, stress, or anxiety, then we strip our body of the very nutrients needed to make us feel better.

When under stress, do your best to substitute carb-loaded, sugary comfort foods for cruciferous veggies, hearty soups, gluten-free nut flours, and natural sugars (coconut sugar, stevia, monk fruit). And, of course, avoid alcohol, and try decaffeinated teas.