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Honestly, I thought meditation for pain control was utterly ridiculous when I first encountered it.
But I tried it. And weirdly, it does help me.
The the more I learn about pain science, the more I understand why.
A thread, including resources.
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But I tried it. And weirdly, it does help me.
The the more I learn about pain science, the more I understand why.
A thread, including resources.
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Honestly? I feel like there’s stigma surrounding meditation in the chronic illness community. We’re working to fight it, but it’s there.
Probably stemming from how many time’s (well meaning?) people have asked if we’ve tried it to “cure” our ailments.
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Probably stemming from how many time’s (well meaning?) people have asked if we’ve tried it to “cure” our ailments.
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Mediation doesn’t cure our illnesses. It doesn’t even act like a magical pain elixir.
What does it do?
It gives us a better relationship with our bodies and sympathetic nervous systems. It gives us the ability to make space between the pain and what makes each of us “me”.
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What does it do?
It gives us a better relationship with our bodies and sympathetic nervous systems. It gives us the ability to make space between the pain and what makes each of us “me”.
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With meditation, we practice skills that help us be more resilient in our pain. We can acknowledge its existence without being utterly overcome each time it swells within us.
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For me? I’ve found the skills learned in meditation have given me a better quality of life, and even improved the efficacy of my pharmaceutical pain management tools.
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So back to that whole stigma thing? The odd shame we feel that pushes us to hide that we meditate? The discomfort that something so intangible has tangle results on our horrible illnesses?
It’ll become less as we talk about it.
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It’ll become less as we talk about it.
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I think many of you already mediate. Or maybe you don’t yet, but you’re curious, here are some resources that might help as you explore. (*None of these are paid placements or affiliates, just FYI 
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Resource @Headspace. They have a large library of guided meditations, including a series for beginners as well as a series on pain.
I also really love their “sleep stories”—guided visualizations to help your mind slow down for sleep.
Resource @miles4migraine. They’ve been offering group meditation sessions via zoom. Check their website for info on upcoming events.
Resource @ctrlmhealth. I’ve been working w/ the team there for a few months now, & really love their approach! I’ll share more on this app another time, but for now, sharing that it offers mediation sessions specifically for Migraine patients & excellent pain education.
Resource If you’re on Instagram, check out Emily Cordes @ MovementWithMigraine. She has several guided mediation series available, and often does monthly “challenges” to help motivate you. (She also did a great piece on pain science in her blog or @mychronicbrain)
Your turn! Do you mediate? And do you have any resources that you’ve found helpful? I’d love to hear about them. Let’s help break the stigma. 
Edit: Ah! I forgot to tag the lovely Emily here on Twitter. You can follow her over at @emilycordes
