Alastair
05-23-2005, 04:57 AM
Pain and B.A.G.S
Do you suffer from B.A.G.S? You may not think you do, but read on!
When pain enters our lives we go through many changes and experience many different thoughts and emotions. Even many years down the line, having mostly come to terms with our pain, we can still be prone to periods of 'BAGS', especially if the pain flares up unexpectedly.
BAGS is uncomfortable, unpleasant and gets us nowhere, it's...
Bitterness
Anger
Guilt
Self-pity
To explain:
Bitterness that we cannot do the things we used to do.
Anger that someone or something let us down.
Guilt that we are letting others down.
Self-pity - that dreadful, depressing, self-defeating emotion that REALLY drags us down.
These negative feelings block us from helping ourselves and actually cause us even more pain than we need suffer, both emotionally and physically. This is because negative feelings cause physical tension which, in turn, causes more pain. So BAGS can become a vicious circle of -
Pain > BAGS > pain > BAGS > pain > ...
And the way through this?
To change your attitude - if the part of you that hurts was a small child or a pet animal you wouldn't feel any of the 'BAGS' emotions. You wouldn't hate or resent it, you would comfort it and find ways to help it.
You need and deserve nurturing too - and your pain is something that is just part of you. So instead of hating part of yourself, think instead,
"Part of me hurts. I need to take care of that part. What can I do to take care of that pain-part of me?"
By doing this you will begin to find your own power to take control of the situation and you will start to feel more positive and life will begin to improve. You will soon find the best way forward towards feeling happy again.
You can take care of your 'pain-part' in some of the following ways:
- No. 1 is Relaxation! If you don't already do so, DO take this as a 'wake-up call' to start now! If you need further ideas or advice, ask me, or try a relaxation tape - deep relaxation really does relieve pain! Try my own successful 'Natural Pain Relief' relaxation tape or CD. It accompanies my book of the same name, but can be used independently of the book. Write to me for more details (regret UK only).
- Deep and relaxed breathing.
- Pace your activities so you don't overdo things. Do things 'little and often'. Again, you can ask me for further details of how to go about this practically.
- Set goals and find new activities that you can do, even if only a little at a time.
- Exercise appropriate for your condition.
- Find a good support team - doctors, complementary therapists, family, friends, on-line groups.
- SMILE! Yes, we can still smile - and a little smile goes a long way. It makes you feel more peaceful and happy, it encourages others to smile back and everyone benefits from the inner chemical production of 'happy hormones' produced by the simple act of smiling. Even if you don't feel like smiling, 'fake it till you make it' - your subconscious will still react in the same way and you will gradually feel better.
TOOL KIT - If you liked this idea why not keep it in your Tool Kit notebook or folder of self-help pain relief methods. If you haven't started one yet, why not keep a special notebook or folder as your Tool Kit to remind you of techniques and skills for coping with pain. Your Tool Kit is especially useful when pain flares up. It will help prevent 'BAGS' and give you constructive ideas to focus upon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS OF WISDOM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Men are not disturbed by things but by the view they take of things"
- - Epictetus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AND FINALLY...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gardening Rule:
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it.
If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keep smiling!
I hope you find the above ideas useful. If you would like more information on any of the items above plus more ideas for pain relief, please go to the website below or contact me for details of my CDs, tapes and books which contains many more methods for relaxation, pain and stress relief.
Jan at PainSupport
www.painsupport.co.uk (http://www.painsupport.co.uk)
Do you suffer from B.A.G.S? You may not think you do, but read on!
When pain enters our lives we go through many changes and experience many different thoughts and emotions. Even many years down the line, having mostly come to terms with our pain, we can still be prone to periods of 'BAGS', especially if the pain flares up unexpectedly.
BAGS is uncomfortable, unpleasant and gets us nowhere, it's...
Bitterness
Anger
Guilt
Self-pity
To explain:
Bitterness that we cannot do the things we used to do.
Anger that someone or something let us down.
Guilt that we are letting others down.
Self-pity - that dreadful, depressing, self-defeating emotion that REALLY drags us down.
These negative feelings block us from helping ourselves and actually cause us even more pain than we need suffer, both emotionally and physically. This is because negative feelings cause physical tension which, in turn, causes more pain. So BAGS can become a vicious circle of -
Pain > BAGS > pain > BAGS > pain > ...
And the way through this?
To change your attitude - if the part of you that hurts was a small child or a pet animal you wouldn't feel any of the 'BAGS' emotions. You wouldn't hate or resent it, you would comfort it and find ways to help it.
You need and deserve nurturing too - and your pain is something that is just part of you. So instead of hating part of yourself, think instead,
"Part of me hurts. I need to take care of that part. What can I do to take care of that pain-part of me?"
By doing this you will begin to find your own power to take control of the situation and you will start to feel more positive and life will begin to improve. You will soon find the best way forward towards feeling happy again.
You can take care of your 'pain-part' in some of the following ways:
- No. 1 is Relaxation! If you don't already do so, DO take this as a 'wake-up call' to start now! If you need further ideas or advice, ask me, or try a relaxation tape - deep relaxation really does relieve pain! Try my own successful 'Natural Pain Relief' relaxation tape or CD. It accompanies my book of the same name, but can be used independently of the book. Write to me for more details (regret UK only).
- Deep and relaxed breathing.
- Pace your activities so you don't overdo things. Do things 'little and often'. Again, you can ask me for further details of how to go about this practically.
- Set goals and find new activities that you can do, even if only a little at a time.
- Exercise appropriate for your condition.
- Find a good support team - doctors, complementary therapists, family, friends, on-line groups.
- SMILE! Yes, we can still smile - and a little smile goes a long way. It makes you feel more peaceful and happy, it encourages others to smile back and everyone benefits from the inner chemical production of 'happy hormones' produced by the simple act of smiling. Even if you don't feel like smiling, 'fake it till you make it' - your subconscious will still react in the same way and you will gradually feel better.
TOOL KIT - If you liked this idea why not keep it in your Tool Kit notebook or folder of self-help pain relief methods. If you haven't started one yet, why not keep a special notebook or folder as your Tool Kit to remind you of techniques and skills for coping with pain. Your Tool Kit is especially useful when pain flares up. It will help prevent 'BAGS' and give you constructive ideas to focus upon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS OF WISDOM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Men are not disturbed by things but by the view they take of things"
- - Epictetus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AND FINALLY...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gardening Rule:
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it.
If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keep smiling!
I hope you find the above ideas useful. If you would like more information on any of the items above plus more ideas for pain relief, please go to the website below or contact me for details of my CDs, tapes and books which contains many more methods for relaxation, pain and stress relief.
Jan at PainSupport
www.painsupport.co.uk (http://www.painsupport.co.uk)