How Family Dynamics Can Be Incorporated in A Medical Setting
The more medical professionals realize the impact chronic pain can have on the family as well as the patient themselves, the more they can take this into consideration when it comes to treatment. If the patient feels comfortable with it, the family should be involved in treatment because it affects them too. This study focused on treating the whole family rather than just the individual with chronic pain and found that with this approach, “75% of the patients and families were able to lead normally active and satisfactory lives again.”
Relatives should be given appropriate pain education so that they can understand what their loved one is going through and the science behind chronic pain. Practical advice should be given on how relatives can help patients with adaptive (helpful) behaviors.
This study concluded that “Nurses can help reduce the negative impact of pain by including families in assessment, education, referral and treatment processes, and by offering support and education to partners/families.”
When equipped with this type of education, family members will be in a better position to encourage and really help their loved ones. They will go home feeling empowered and confident rather than frustrated and hopeless.
When patients have the right type of support from family members, they can be so much more independent and take control of their chronic illnesses. This study concluded that patients who have this support, “reported significantly less pain intensity, less reliance on medication, and greater activity levels.”
Guidance For Coping as A Family
The right family support can make coping with chronic pain so much easier and help to maintain those strong family connections. This study concluded that “the extent to which chronic pain negatively affected the chronic pain sufferer’s respective partner and other family members was dependent to some extent on how effective the family was in coping with a relative with chronic pain.”
As well as the family being involved in treatment, there are ways that you can introduce more positive coping skills as a family when dealing with chronic pain.
- Open Communication
Talking to each other about how you are feeling, on both sides is so important. Bottling things up or putting on an act is only going to lead to negative emotions building up. Instead, expressing feelings calmly so that you can support each other equally and find constructive solutions to problems can bring the best outcomes.
- Planning In Advance
Talking about situations in advance as a family and planning how you are going to deal with them can relieve stress and anxiety about potential problems. For example, you could discuss how you are going to deal with a flare. You could cover what the person in pain typically experiences and what they find helpful. Family members could plan ways to help so that they are prepared.
- Respecting Boundaries
The person in pain may have boundaries, for example, things they don’t want help with or times when they need their own space. It’s vital to respect these boundaries. Equally, it’s important that the relative’s boundaries are respected.
- Doing Research
Whether you are a relative or a person in pain, doing research about chronic pain can help you to understand the science behind pain, how to approach daily activities and how you can be proactive in recovery. The more knowledge you gain, the better equipped you will be.
- Finding A Balance Between Help And Encouragement
While helping practically and emotionally can be positive, allowing the person in pain to become too reliant on that help can become detrimental. Take your time to find a balance between encouraging activity and being there to help when it’s needed. This can be trial and error on both parts so try not to be too hard on yourselves.
- Looking After Yourself
Every individual needs to be fundamentally responsible for looking after themselves. If you are a family member who is caring for a chronically ill loved one, you need to ensure that you are practicing self-care and prioritizing your own mental and physical health. You cannot be there for someone else fully if you are not first there for yourself.
The person in pain must take responsibility for their own health also. While help might be needed, at the end of the day they must take the lead in their care and in finding ways to cope with their pain.
- Attending Appointments Together
Going to medical appointments as a family can foster a deeper understanding of treatment. It can allow the person in pain to feel more supported; medical appointments can be nerve-wracking! This can also allow relatives the opportunity to ask questions or bring up their concerns.
- Attending Family Counseling
If you feel that your family relationships are already strained, attending counseling together as a family can help you to express your feelings, resolve issues and get back on track. This article explains that families should be referred to or seek counseling when, “stress, grief, anger or conflict in the relationship and when helpful to address specific issues.”
There are three types of therapy typically used to help families cope with chronic pain. The first is Structural Family Therapy, which focuses on the roles within the family and recalibrating them. Cognitive therapy techniques can be used to teach families how to employ healthier coping strategies and encourage healthy expressions of emotions. Lastly, Strategic therapy focuses on a practical approach to solving problems.
- Planning Fun Family Activities
Chronic pain has a habit of taking over every aspect of life, for both the patient and family. Ensure that you are not allowing your whole life to become about pain. Plan fun activities and enjoy quality time together!
Precision Pain Care and Rehabilitation has two convenient locations in Richmond Hill – Queens and New Hyde Park – Long Island. Call the Queens office at (718) 215-1888, or (516) 419-4480 for the Long Island office, to arrange an appointment with our Interventional Pain Management Specialist, Dr. Jeffrey Chacko.
