There is a link between your state of mind and your back pain!
Share with your concerned loved ones
1
(1)
It's really unpleasant to be told by a doctor, a physiotherapist or an osteopath that the problem you have with your back "is in your head".
Has this unfortunately ever happened to you?
When we hear that, we would say that we have serious psychiatric problems, that we are not strong enough to handle what is happening to us or that we no longer have control of anything, that everything goes into a spin.
But I'm of the opinion that no one should put it that way! And I also don't agree that back pain is associated with “being full of it”.
These are big shortcuts and that's oversimplifying things. It doesn't do justice to human functioning.
Because the human mind, like his body, is much more complex and clever than that!
Go directly to the section that interests you
But then, why would we go to see a shrink when we have back pain?
Because there is a great correlation between stress, bodily sensations and the functioning of our organs and the body in general.
Before specifying how this interacts, I would like to remind you that the shrink is not the first-line professional to consult when you have body pain. It is important to first make an assessment with the specialists of the body.
It is then, in parallel with medical treatment or after a check-up that shows nothing specific, that the shrink can be useful.
Let's see what happens in the body when we are stressed.
You were experiencing something that generates an emotion in you.
Whatever it is: fear, sadness, guilt, shame, anger etc.
This emotion triggers the production and circulation in the body of chemical substances such as adrenaline or cortisol.
They prepare your body to react to the emotion. It's totally appropriate for your situation. This is also why emotions developed during evolution: they allowed us to adopt behaviors better suited to our survival.
Emotion is therefore essential to our proper functioning. But doing something about these emotions is also essential. Sometimes even vital.
Because if we do not evacuate the substances produced by resolving the situation that created the emotion to generate a return to calm in the body, they remain in the body. Little by little, if the situation lasts, the substances accumulate in a lasting way. Commonly, this is called stress.
However, this body chemistry is not made to be stored for a long time. It is made to make us react quickly, but in the long term, it is toxic.
It is toxic for our organs, our joints, our bones, our tendons and all the parts of our body that it attacks. Consequently, they begin to function less well.
It is at this moment that pain can appear, physical blockages here or there. And later still, possibly more or less serious illnesses.
And then, if it's still going on, to bear the pain, the body can start producing powerful substances such as opioids or ketamine-like substances that help bear the pain.
But likewise, these substances are not good in the long term for the good health of the body.
What can the shrink do for me (and my back) ?
As you are beginning to understand, learning to reduce stress by perfecting what is commonly called emotional management, would reduce the level of stress substances and therefore have healthier organs.
Because, yes, the good news is that up to a certain point, all of this is reversible. If the body has not been badly bruised, it can regain good health.
And the other good news is that we know very well how to deal with this in psychotherapy.
Each shrink will have his own method for working on emotions and the optimal way to use them in his everyday life. All these methods obtain similar results, which is why, when looking for a shrink, the most important thing is not his approach but the bond of trust with him or her.
That is essential: without a sufficient feeling of trust and security, no psychological work will succeed.
So don't ask yourself too many questions, if it doesn't match after a few sessions, find someone else.
It can take a little time to meet the professional with whom you really feel good. To be honest, that's what happened to me 20 years ago: I went to see seven shrinks before I felt really comfortable and safe.
So take your time. It's frustrating and sometimes unfortunately discouraging in the short term, but a long-term accelerator for resolving difficulties.
Personally, I mainly work with EMDR (a trauma treatment approach) that works great for stress regulation. We even have a specialized protocol for chronic pain, whether in the back or elsewhere.
I also work with Transactional Analysis, which is a relational approach. Because sometimes it is relationships with others that cause problems and generate stress.
Other colleagues work with hypnosis, cognitive and behavioral therapies, Gestalt therapy or other approaches. All are working.
So, if you have lasting body pain and physiotherapy, osteopathy or medical treatment are not enough, push the door of a psychiatrist's office. It will never mean that you are crazy or insane, much less that it is ridiculous or that you are weak. This will mean that your brain, which is always implementing the best coping strategies it can in the context it has (what a fantastic organ!), is no longer finding options to what is happening to you right now.
We all go through this at some point in our lives.
I hope with these descriptions, to have been able to give a de-dramatized and understandable image of my job. I am available on my social networks if you want to know more!
Catherine is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist in Lyon where she receives adults and couples in psychotherapy. She popularizes on social networks in order to allow everyone to make psychology concepts accessible and to get to know themselves better. She is the co-director of the book Transactional Analysis in Practice and created the online workshop “Understanding your family heritage”.
