Pain psychotherapy

As pain becomes chronic, it has an impact on all areas of a person’s life (work, family, free time). As a result, many pain patients not only suffer physically (loss of fitness), but also emotionally. This manifests in symptoms such as depression, irritability, nervousness, insomnia, tension, worry, anxiety attacks, difficulty concentrating, a feeling of helplessness and an overall increase in pain. 

In pain psychotherapy, a diagnosis is based on the recognition of mental illnesses or discomfort and the clarification of various questions: How does the patient handle the pain? What types of impairment must be endured? Has he or she developed pain-related fears or depression? What is the family situation? Are there problems with regard to work?

Pain psychotherapy can be conducted at both an individual and at a group level. Its goal is threefold: to enable patients to successfully cope with everyday life despite having to endure chronic pain, to minimise their pain and to provide them with the best possible quality of life.