An Effective Way to Cope with Pain
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help you manage your chronic pain. The following story follows an example of how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy could improve your quality of life based on results from a recent study.
What is involved with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP)?
Pain is making Jordan’s life challenging. Jordan has tried many medications and other treatments, but nothing seems to work. Jordan visits the doctor, who suggests trying CBT for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP). CBT is a treatment that teaches new ways to respond to pain, so people can feel better and live life more fully. During 11 treatment sessions, Jordan works with a CBT-CP specialist. Jordan learns new skills, such as how to turn down the “volume” on pain and get back to doing activities that matter. By the end of the sessions, Jordan saw notable improvements.
What improvements can I expect?
In the story above, Jordan’s improvements were similar to those found in a recent evaluation of 1,331 Veterans. Researchers found that:
- On average, Veteran participants reported significantly lower rates of feeling consumed by thoughts of pain after just 11 sessions of CBT-CP.
- 50% of Veteran participants who completed CBT reported a significant decrease in how much pain interfered with their lives.
- Rates of depression of participating Veterans significantly decreased after completing 11 CBT treatment sessions.
How can I learn more about CBT-CP?
You can find written materials and videos about CBT-CP on the VA Pain Management Office Webpage.
What can I do if I have pain and want to try CBT-CP?
Talk with your health care provider or contact your VA facility about being referred to a CBT-CP provider if your pain is having an impact on your life.
Content last updated: March 2023