Mindfulness in pain self-control of people with chronic pain: a cross-sectional study
European Psychiatry June 1, 2022 C. Laranjeira, A. Querido
A cross-sectional survey of 23 adults with chronic pain found that most had never tried mindfulness but knew what it was and considered it a viable option for pain self-management. The sample was mostly middle-aged women with fibromyalgia; nearly half had experienced pain for over 20 years. Average pain intensity was moderate, acceptance was low, and pain interfered with daily activities. Moderate positive correlations emerged between pain acceptance and willingness to practice mindfulness, and between satisfaction with mindfulness practice and pain self-control. The authors argue that non-pharmacological measures such as mindfulness should be included in chronic pain management.