QUOTE: "Finding a technique that works well for you is going to be a trial and error for you. For me, any kind of detailed work helps. I usually get out my sketchbook and draw intricate designs with as much detail as possible. The pain doesn't go away completely but it helps alter my perception of the pain. For you, it may be something else, maybe playing a video game or something. Anything that shifts your mind from the pain. This is no easy task. There are times when the pain is so bad that nothing seems to work. When I get like that, I just talk to the pain as if it were my best friend. It helps quite a bit."

Very sound advice. Meditation, taking courses on-line and creative writing do help with changing the pain perception in my case. For me, focusing on it seems to be the worst thing as that usually only serves to bring up emotions that make the pain worse. Its a vicious cycle.

In my thoughts and prayers that you find a managment techinique that works for you.
Know that we do understand .
At the moment I'm sort of grasping at straws to find something that might augment the techniques that aren't cutting it as much as they used to.

With love, Erika

Writing is another good one I use when I'm in pain, stressed, or just feel like writing thoughts down. I find that when I am in pain and decide to just write about it, by the end I am usually doing much better. It helps to just let it out.

I tried knitting at one time. It worked okay. I'm just not interested in it at all and so I think that's why it didn't work as well.