• I recognize mental and physical habits and reactions involved in my condition

• Though I have tried my best, some habits are inefficient or not good for me.    I am committed to developing ways of thinking and acting that better my situation

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Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

Vicious cycles

What keeps it going?

There are a number of vicious cycles that can maintain or worsen a chronic illness or pain.  It is hard to generalize across conditions, since they have their own patterns.  I'll use examples from chronic, non-malignant (that is, not cancer) pain here.

If we accept the principles of Holistic Health, we understand that

• what starts a condition is not the only thing that maintains it
• health is affected by a great many things, including behaviour and life-style.

Examples

It is generally accepted that the following kinds of patterns feed a pain problem:

• fear of movement
• avoidance of activity,
• sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical fitness
• habitual protection of painful area ("guarding")
• tensing up around the area
• anxiety and depression
• habitually expecting the worst
• symptom focus
• excess dependency on family
• lack of meaningful activities or work
• poor posture
• uneven walking gait
• some medications
• over-reliance on braces, canes etc.

The following may play a role:

• poor sleep habits
• poor eating habits, nutrition
• over weight

It is easy to see how some of these can perpetuate pain. 

• Inactivity leads to weakness and stiffness, so that future activity is more difficult and painful. 
• Guarding and tensing may cause habitual tension, reduced blood flow, and poorer function in the area. 
• Bad posture strains joints and other structures, causing pain.
• And so on.

Victorious circles

The need to take control

These kinds of vicious cycles can develop a life of their own.  They build on themselves.  When people are aware of the kinds of patterns that maintain their problem, they can choose to make changes.  This turns the vicious cycle around.

When do we change our habits and behaviours?

• When we know we ought to
• When we want to
• When we know how
• When we have an alternative
• When the cost is too high to keep doing what we have been doing
• When we think that life could be better if we change
• When we have support to do so
• When we are not reminded to do the habit
• When we are not rewarded for the habit

If you are unsure whether you want to make some change, It can help to look at the benefits of making a change and the benefits of not making it.  Compare the two lists, and see if this encourages you.

The Human Dilemma

As humans, we tend to do what feels good, and tend not to do what feels bad.  It's obvious. This makes us want to find food when we are hungry and find the side of the road when walking near traffic.  It's a good survival program.

Our problem comes when there is something that feels good now but feels bad later, or feels bad now but feels good later. 

Eating poorly might feel good at the time, but effects on your health or self-esteem might feel bad later.  Starting an exercise program might feel tiring and boring to start with, but build energy and confidence later.

Humans are smart, though, and we don't have to follow our programming.  But we have to get over "the hump", and stick with an activity until the pay-offs come.   It helps if we can find quick ways for the new habit to feel good.  This is motivating and makes it likely that we won't give up too soon.

Example

So, if you want to exercise, go with someone you like, do it in a place that feels good, find ways to make it entertaining, and do something nice afterward, like a hot soak.  And keep track of progress.  Seeing that feels good too.

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