How Negative Thinking Can Amplify Chronic Pain: Insights from Dr. Daniel Amen
By
Amen Clinics
Summary
This article from Amen Clinics discusses the connection between negative thinking and chronic pain. It explains that pain is not just physical but also mental, and that negative thoughts can amplify physical pain. Dr. Daniel Amen recommends a technique from Byron Katie: asking yourself "Is this thought true?" and "Is this thought helping me?" The article encourages readers to write down negative thoughts and challenge them, as unchecked negative thoughts can be believed by the mind and trigger physical reactions in the body.
Source

Key quotes
· 5 pulledPain isn't just physical—it lives in your mind too.
And the thoughts you think can either turn the volume of that pain up or reduce it to a whisper.
When you notice your negative thoughts, write them down and talk back to them.
Often, you'll find that your negative thoughts are based on fear, not reality.
But when you think a negative thought without challenging it, your mind believes it—and your body reacts to it.
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