For individuals dealing with chronic pain finding treatment can be exceptionally challenging. Many people who develop an opioid use disorder do so out of a misguided attempt to manage their pain. Thus, when patients enter a substance abuse treatment program, while their addiction is treated, their underlying pain may not be. Because of their pain persists, patients are at a higher risk for relapse. How then do patients needing pain treatment to handle this issue? Sunlight Medical Services offers treatment through its behavioral intervention for pain program providing patients with an approach to recovery, avoiding pain medications that could be problematic.

Behavioral Intervention for Pain

Pain medication and prescriptions can be dangerous. Some individuals need and want to avoid those dangers. For instance, opioid use disorder arises when patients misuse their prescription opioid medication. Often, individuals do this unintentionally. In an attempt to manage their pain following an accident, injury, or surgery, their use of opioids gets out of control, and they form a dependency. Thus, when individuals enter treatment, medical professionals focus on healing a patient’s addiction but not so much their underlying physical pain.

Even though the medications used in medication-assisted treatment may have analgesic effects (painkilling), their purpose is not to treat pain. This leaves patients with chronic pain without many choices. Sunlight Medical Services’ Behavioral Interventions for Pain presents to patients alternative forms of pain management.

Our program focuses on how a patient’s emotional state and mental health can affect chronic pain. Some of the methods we use to address this include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): This therapeutic approach deals with how patients’ thoughts and emotions affect their actions and physical wellbeing. By examining what can broadly be called negative thinking as well as negative self-image and working to turn away from it, patients can heal and take control. Often, negative emotions worsen chronic pain. The same is true of overly anxious concerns about behavior and past actions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy allows patients to focus their attention on the present and what they can positively affect.
• Mindfulness: Using a combination of mindfulness meditation and other psychological techniques, patients can become more aware of their surroundings and self. This practice allows patients to anticipate how events, actions, or other situations may inflame their chronic pain and what they can do to mitigate that pain.

Benefits of Behavioral Interventions

Because chronic pain is complicated, for individuals to manage it, they need professional support. This is what Sunlight Medical Services offers through our Behavioral Intervention for Pain program. Coping with pain doesn’t have to be a struggle. Nor do patients have to live in fear of addiction, of relapsing due to it. Sunlight Medical Services’ therapeutic methods emphasize increasing pleasant activity and family/other support involvement. Doing so allows patients to live their best life being in control of their body and mind. Patients struggling with chronic pain will discover anxiety takes a physical toll. By reducing stress, by learning and implementing new coping mechanisms, and effectively changing the way one approaches their chronic disease, pain can be mitigated.

Sunlight Medical Services

Because pain and pain management is a complex process involving both physical and mental needs, not all medical providers address all aspects. Fortunately, Sunlight Medical Services understands the psychosocial component of pain. Thus, we strive to help patients learn to live well and healthily despite having chronic pain.

Sunlight Medical Services’ Behavioral Intervention for Pain program helps patients learn mindfulness and concepts that help them work through their pain more effectively. Patients who go through the program report a decrease in their experience of pain and a higher quality of life. So reach out to us today at (855) 920-1104 to learn more about our programs and services.