Psychologist Claire Myhill speaks from personal experience when she shares about the impact of living with chronic pain. At the age of 17, she had spinal fusion surgery to treat scoliosis, which is an abnormal curvature of the spine. The surgery involved inserting titanium rods into and around her spine. Although it seemed to be a success initially, she battled with chronic pain for around three years afterwards and doctors were unable to pinpoint what the cause of the pain was. Eventually, it was discovered that the titanium had been moving and it was treated. The physical and mental impact of this journey played a role in Claire deciding to become a psychologist, and then focussing on helping people understand the role that pain has in our lives, and how to deal with chronic pain from a mental health point of view.
In a Masiviwe webinar last month, Claire shared a lot of information around understanding pain, and the link between pain and mental health. To watch the webinar, please click here
Claire emphasised the importance of investing in self-care, and not getting stuck in the pain. Some of the questions from viewers of the webinar involved cases where they have been sent from doctor to doctor, and not been able to get to a physical reason for the pain they were feeling. “This can be really bewildering”, says Claire. ”It’s important not to give up, and to keep on seeking medical help. In the meantime, do what you can for yourself: things such as stretching, using heat and cold, practising mindfulness, being careful of where you are placing your attention.”
There were also questions around how to help someone who is in denial. Denial is a defence mechanism to protect ourselves from a difficult reality. Loved ones can confront people in loving ways, by pointing out how the behaviour is impacting on the people around them. Claire warned that someone who is very vulnerable and struggling with pain can become manipulative, and that people in their support structure must try to create conditions to help them empower themselves, rather than doing everything for them. “There’s a difference between an excuse and a reason not to do something”, she says. She shared that when she was going through a period of depression and not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, people in her life had helped her by saying “I can’t watch you do this. If you want me in your life, please prioritise your health”, which helped her to see that she needed to care for herself, because she cared for other people.
Some books that Claire recommended that participants could look at for more information on dealing with pain include “The body keeps the score”, by Bessel van der Kolk, “Man’s search for meaning” by Viktor Frankl and “Mindset” by Carol Dweck.
In wrapping up the webinar, FPD’s Boitumelo Kgoebane commented that “there’s always something special that comes from lived experience”, and thanked Claire for sharing not only a wealth of medical and psychological knowledge, but also from her own life.
For more videos, webinars and mental health information, check out our social media pages – MasiviweZA