ABSTRACT
Increasing numbers of people are reporting chronic pain and related symptoms such as fatigue. Living with such pain is very disruptive and can worsen many other problems, such as depression, fatigue, work performance, and relationships. This chapter builds on Chapter 9, and focuses on effective coping skills for dealing with the unique stressor of pain. Pain is often out of our immediate control but can impact us in serious ways. Many of us feel helpless in the face of severe pain or exhaustion and may do things that inadvertently make it worse. We explore the prevalence of pain and effective strategies to help cope and move through this significant stressor as well as skills for communicating effectively when in pain. Personal and real-life examples are provided along with exercises to help address pain.
