Question:
Can online chronic pain support groups help me?
Chronic Pain Support Groups: Online Groups
There are many chronic support groups on the Internet—this is good for people who wish to remain partially anonymous. It also gives a person suffering from chronic pain an outlet that is somewhat private and allows him or her to share incidents that he or she may not want to share with close friends and family members. Chronic pain support groups also provide contact with others suffering from the same type of chronic pain—these people can understand your condition, and will never tell you that it's all part of your imagination.
One online chronic pain support group provides message boards and a chat room where members can give and receive support regarding his or her condition and other issues relating to that condition. Some topics on the support boards include a place to make introductions for new members (newbies), a message board to post when a person is doing worse than usual, or can share if he or she is scheduled for surgery and recovery updates. Pain discussion forums allow users to post and vent about chronic pain, the doctor, physical therapy treatments, and also allows users to share in coping techniques that have worked for others.
Most forums also have a general message board where users can discuss off topic things, such as a summer trip, kids, grandkids, the garden or whatever he or she wants to talk about.
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| Guru Spotlight |
| Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D. |
