Stress and Chronic Pain

I sometimes find when I do a body-check, that I am holding my body tightly in places here and there.  It used to happen continually, automatically and unconsciously.  It's part of my having learned, among other things, to be a nice, good-little-girl, rather than inappropriately pummel the living you-know-what out of others when they trigger me.

I unknowingly, unconsciously allowed this body holding / bracing energy into my body, into my joints and into my spirit. 

If I didn't check in with my body, I might never even know I do this.  

Sometimes I find myself holding my breath, and not realizing it for a while.  Sometimes I find myself gritting my teeth while walking around trying to do something.  I go through bouts of night-time teeth grinding that seems to cycle on some schedule I have yet to uncover or decode.

I believe all these things are unconscious means of coping with adversity, of bracing myself through stress.

Stress becomes a habit.  If I don't allow myself to become aware of my reactions to it, I can get into a bunch of seemingly illogical, incomprehensible body pain.

But if I look more closely and honestly, I see that one thing leads to the other--or at the least, it exacerbates it.  There is a correlation and it is often circular, feeding on itself.

For me, stress leads to or contributes to Chronic Pain and Chronic Pain leads to or contributes to stress.

When I can catch myself in these holding actions I can often change them!  

Becoming conscious of the holding actions I do in my body helps me to have the option to make different choices, like taking a deep breath and releasing the holding.

Checking in with my body on a regular basis is crucial.    

Discovering this has led to empowerment in modifying Chronic Pain.

When Chronic Pain is not alterable, though, the only remedy is surrendering to the pain.  In the surrendering there is great releasing and that brings peace and relief.

Gratefully, I am becoming increasingly conscious and more empowered about altering Chronic Pain.

Love, Hugs and Blessings,
Barbara

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