Use a mental anesthetic. Imagine giving yourself a shot of novocaine into the site of your pain and creating a numbing sensation. Alternately, picture placing ice packs on the area that hurts and bringing cool, soothing, numbing relief to the pain that way.[13]
o To see this thought experiment through to the end, picture the end result of the anesthetic, including what the painful area would feel like after the injection and what the experience of relaxation would be like as the medicine starts to work.[14]
Try visualization. Visualization, also called guided imagery, involves coming up with a detailed ideal situation and the emotions that accompany it.[15] In the case of severe or chronic pain, this most likely means imagining a situation in which you are pain-free, at ease, and feeling well and unstressed.
o First, go to a quiet area and get into a comfortable, relaxed position; next, picture someplace you love, whether a favored spot from childhood, the place you like to vacation, etc. Tune into all five senses—sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. Stay in the moment, paying attention to all the little details around you.[16] If you immerse yourself fully enough in this "scene," you may be able to guide yourself away from your pain.
o Visualization can be done in as little as a few minutes, or you may use the process for an hour. Details are key to giving yourself a full, realistic sense of what it would feel like, both physically and emotionally, to be free of pain.[17]
Turn your pain into a symbol. If you imagine your pain as a loud noise or a bright light, you can turn down the volume/brightness and thus reduce the amount of pain that you feel.[18][19]
o The trick here is to imagine that you are gradually reducing the irritating quality of the symbol (for example, the grating sound of a car horn); as you reduce that irritation, so, too, will you reduce the irritation caused by your pain. Picture turning off a physical knob and thus "turning off" the symbol and with it the pain.[20]
Engage in positive thinking. Chronic pain can cause very unpleasant and negative thoughts that actually increase pain.[21] Try casting situations in a less dire light or thinking about positive imagery (the beach, a place with family and friends)[22] in order to decrease pain.
o You will have good days and bad days, but if you accept that pain is something you can work around and live with—not something you must fight against every moment—living with it may become easier.[23]
o Expectations have a strong impact on the severity of the pain you feel, so telling yourself that it won't be so bad may actually help that to come true.[24]
