Skip to main content
Start here to find out why trying to avoid your pain isn't helpful
Step 1: Connecting the Pain Avoidance Dots
It is not unusual for someone with chronic pain to try to avoid pain and negative emotions about pain.
Avoidance of pain is anything you do to:
Write down everything you usually do to get rid of, avoid, suppress, escape or distract yourself from pain or pain-related thoughts or feelings.
Example: Watching TV until I fall asleep. “Doom scrolling” on my phone.
Example: Stopped exercising at gym
Example: Worry about how it might mean my shoulder arthritis is getting worse.
Example: Eating lots of sugary snacks to make myself feel better. Drinking more alcohol when pain is especially bad.
Step 2: Connecting the Pain Avoidance Dots:
Connecting all of your Pain Avoidance DOTS, think to yourself:
Step 3: Write down which avoidance strategies in the DOTS list you would like to reduce because they are unhelpful in the long run.
To make the most of this program, we ask you to commit to being more aware of how you are thinking and feeling and what you are doing to deal with your pain. We ask you to pay attention to the consequences of how you respond to your pain.
