Avoiding your flare-up can negatively affect your mental well-being through constant stress and frustration. This could increase your pain due to built-up tension. Acknowledging that your pain is there will help you to manage your flare-up more effectively.
If you are with a friend or family member, tell them what’s going on so that they can help you get away from the trigger. Removing yourself from triggers can also help you to pinpoint specific triggers so you can avoid them and remove the chance of a flare-up occurring.
Your hands are in a fist Your shoulders are raised Your muscles are tense Your jaw is tensed and your teeth are clenched Your breathing is shallow or you are holding your breath
Seek immediate medical attention if you start to experience severely distressing thoughts about wanting to hurt yourself or others.
It is known that an increase of pain can cause an increase in heart rates due to the release of hormones during periods of stress. These techniques will help to lower your heart rate. This will help you control your breathing and manage your pain. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Singing also acts as a distraction, helping to refocus your mind from the pain.
To have better control of the pace and rhythm of your breathing, get that person to count breaths with you or stomp their feet. [15] X Research source
Breathe in for two seconds, while imagining one side of the square. Hold your breath for one second as you imagine the top corner of the square. Breathe out for two seconds, as you go across the side of the square. Repeat these steps until you finish the square pattern.
Breathe in to the count of you repeating the word “elephant” two times. Hold your breath for the count of you saying “elephant”. Release your breath slowly, repeating “elephant” three times.
Start a 30–60 second timer. Start “rotating” your thumb and index finger as if you were trying to hold a grain of sand. Count how many rotations you can fit into one full breath. This includes a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. Repeat this step until the timer is finished. Increasing the number of rotations you make with your fingers can change your breathing pattern into a longer and slower one.
