What Is Pain Acceptance?

The concept of pain acceptance may seem counterintuitive as a strategy for chronic pain management. It may feel like accepting chronic pain means admitting defeat. However, studies show that practicing pain acceptance typically results in lower pain levels, reduced disability, and decreased psychological distress.

The process of acceptance

Acceptance is an ongoing process. There are six components in the process of pain acceptance.

1. Recognizing the need for help
   This first step is recognizing that chronic pain is not a temporary condition. Acknowledging that chronic pain has become a part of daily life begins the process of acceptance.
2. Receiving a diagnosis
   Receiving a chronic pain diagnosis can be validating, especially if health care professionals have dismissed symptoms in the past. Quite often, people with chronic pain (most notably, women) feel as though their pain is not severe enough for treatment. Receiving a diagnosis legitimizes their experience.
3. Realizing there is no cure
   After the relief of receiving a diagnosis, comes the difficult realization that there is not a cure for chronic pain. This step in the process involves grieving the fact that certain parts of life will not return to “normal.” In many cases, a good deal of time and energy were spent searching for “cures” to no avail. At a certain point, acknowledging that a cure is not likely is part of pain acceptance.
4. Realizing it could be worse
   The next step in the process of pain acceptance is realizing that other people experience worse situations. This step provides perspective and can help reduce stress associated with chronic pain.
5. Redefining normal
   Dealing with chronic pain often involves grieving a life prior to pain. It is important to nurture a new sense of “normal.” This involves letting go of previous expectations and developing a new, realistic vision of needs, desires, and goals. Although life may look and feel different, it can be just as fulfilling as it was before chronic pain.
6. Practicing acceptance
   Pain acceptance is an ongoing process. A chronic pain journey is continually evolving and changing.

Activity engagement and pain willingness

Accepting pain is the opposite of avoiding and denying it. Activity engagement and pain willingness are key factors in pain acceptance.

• Activity engagement
  Activity engagement refers to the extent to which an individual still participates in activities. For instance, a person who attends their friend’s graduation party despite the possibility of getting a migraine (and, if that possibility should arise, manages the symptoms to the best of their ability) is practicing good activity engagement. The key to good activity engagement is to not let chronic pain interfere with things that are important.
• Pain willingness
  Pain willingness refers to the ability to accept pain as a part of life. The goal is not to eliminate chronic pain but to minimize its influence as much as possible. The key to pain willingness is understanding that although chronic pain may never go away completely, it can be effectively managed.

Additional source: Psychology Today