Pain Recovery. Robert Hunter

      

      —PAIN— RECOVERY How to find Balance and Reduse Suffering from Chronic Pain _______________________

       A Comprehensive Opioid-Free Approach

       Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM

       Frank J. Szabo, Jr., LADC

       Daniel Shiode, Ph.D.

       Robert Hunter, Ph.D.

       CENTRAL RECOVERY PRESS

      Central Recovery Press (CRP) is committed to publishing exceptional material addressing addiction treatment, recovery, and behavioral health care, including original and quality books, audio/visual communications, and W eb-based new media. Through a diverse selection of titles, it seeks to impact the behavioral health care field with a broad range of unique resources for professionals, recovering individuals, and their families. For more information, visit www.centralrecoverypress.com.

      Central Recovery Press, Las Vegas, NV 89129

      © 2009 by Central Recovery Press, Las Vegas, NV

      eISBN-13: 978-1-936290-37-6

      eISBN-10: 1-936290-37-5

      All rights reserved. Published 2009. Printed in the United States of America.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

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      Publisher: Central Recovery Press

       3371 N Buffalo Drive

       Las Vegas, NV 89129

       Cover design and interior by Sara Streifel, Think Creative Design

      To all the courageous clients and their families who participated in the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at Las Vegas Recovery Center.

      { contents }

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part I Explore

Chapter One Chronic Pain: An Overview

Chapter Two Chronic Pain and Addiction: Double Trouble

Chapter Three Am I an Addict?

       Chapter Four What Is Pain Recovery? Changing Your Experience of Pain

       Part II Discover

       Chapter Five Physical Balance

       Chapter Six Mental Balance

       Chapter Seven Emotional Balance

       Chapter Eight Spiritual Balance

       Part III Recover

       Chapter Nine Relationships

       Chapter Ten Positive Action

       Continuing the Journey: A Long-Term Pain-Recovery Plan

       Companion Books to Pain Recovery

       References

PREFACE

      Pain Recovery: How to Find Balance and Reduce Suffering from Chronic Pain is a collaborative effort based on our multidisciplinary knowledge and professional experience treating clients with chronic pain and addiction in the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at Las Vegas Recovery Center (LVRC).

      While researching the outcome data and readmission assessments of our addiction treatment program, we found that chronic pain was a common denominator for a large percentage of clients who returned to treatment because of relapse. These clients were motivated for recovery and had successfully completed treatment, but ended up relapsing after seeking traditional pain management to deal with their chronic pain. Most of these clients reported relapsing with prescribed medication (alcohol was often involved as well). They were not able to take the prescribed medication without problems—their use of opioids in an attempt to eliminate their pain resulted in relapse. In other words, they were unable to reconcile their recovery with taking pain medications to treat their pain.

      To meet the needs of these clients and others like them, the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program was created. After treating more than 100 clients with chronic pain, we realized that the concept of recovery was new to many of them. These clients believed the only issue that needed to be addressed was their physical pain.

      The more we learned about pain, the more aware we became of the importance of treating all the factors that contribute to the total experience of pain.

      From this body of clinical work evolved the concept of pain recovery— a multidimensional approach to treating chronic pain that addresses the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of pain, as well as problematic use of medications and addiction.

      We have consolidated these concepts, our experience, clients’ input, and the fundamentals of the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program into a workbook format that is accessible to anyone affected by chronic pain. The book is also designed to be a useful tool for clinicians who treat people with chronic pain. Our intention in writing this book is to offer an empowering, interactive guide that promotes the treatment of chronic pain in a holistic manner without mood-altering drugs.

      Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM • Frank J. Szabo, Jr., LADCDaniel Shiode, Ph.D. • Robert Hunter, Ph.D.