The Psychology of Migraines
Filed Under (Articles) by admin on 25-11-2008
Tagged Under : migraine, psychology, thanksgiving
To be perfectly clear, I do not believe that migraines are purely psychological. I believe that there are many elements that contribute to migraines, with two major components being physical and psychological. Therefore I believe that addressing the psychological components can make a difference. I also believe that we are capable of directly influencing our thoughts through learning and practice, therefore influencing the physical outcome. A simple and very useful example is meditation class, where one can learn to breathe deep while relaxing the body and mind.
Psychology is a science that studies the interaction between the mind and behavior. Behavior can include physiological responses, as proved by Pavlov. Behavior can also include emotional responses, since many feelings are awakened or enhanced by thoughts. These responses can be conscious or subconscious, intentional or unintentional. In most cases, desired responses are conscious and intentional, while undesired responses are unconscious and unintentional. That is why migraines are not someone’s fault.
The psychology of migraines goes much deeper than initial levels. Of course people don’t create migraines on purpose. Of course people deal with stress differently and have different pressures in their lives. Of course people have different physical issues to address. The point of discussing the psychology of migraines is not to blame but to enlighten. If a migraineur can identify a habitual subconscious response that contributes to migraines and can take positive steps to alter that response, there may be benefit.
Allow me to give you an example. Upcoming this week is American Thanksgiving. Next to Christmas, Thanksgiving can be the most stressful time of the year. Families get together, buttons can be pushed, expectations can be voiced and emotions raised. On top of all that is the food, the noise, and the responsibility. This upcoming long weekend could be very difficult, especially for someone who experiences migraines.
Over the past week bloggers have begun expressing nervousness about Thanksgiving. ‘What if I get a migraine; it will ruin the day’, ‘How will my family react’, ‘I don’t know if I will even be able to go’. As the day gets nearer, the tension builds. Expectations that the migraine may arrive at the wrong time have started to build. Visualization of potential pain has already started, escalating fear. By the time Thanksgiving arrives, so do the migraines. This weekend could be challenging for many migraineurs.
However, there is something that you can do about it. If you are already feeling the anxiety that I have described, you can start to turn things around now. By changing your expectations and the way that you feel about this upcoming weekend, you can potentially improve your experience. If you start refocusing now, you may be able to enjoy a more peaceful and relaxing Thanksgiving. Take a deep breath now and change your direction.
Acceptance
The first step is personal and is only between you and yourself. By accepting that there may be elements within yourself that contribute to your condition, you become empowered. By choosing to make changes in areas that you can, you have the ability to alter your experience. By accepting that there may be positive changes to take, you open up a new path of healing.
Awareness
Once you decide to identify thoughts and feelings that make you feel worse about the upcoming events, you may find many. Don’t be discouraged. Simply allow yourself to recognize your thoughts. Identify the feelings that various thoughts awaken. Become aware of thoughts that are repetitive. Start to identify your patterns. Bring your subconscious thoughts into your conscious awareness.
Alteration
By identifying thoughts that contribute to tension or anxiety, it becomes possible to alter them. For some people this is the hardest part. The specific action of reshaping thoughts requires intention and persistent focus. It is also possible to learn how to calm the mind and quiet repetitive thoughts. These skills can be developed through time and practice and even the smallest attempts can make a difference.
Let’s assume that your plan for Thanksgiving Day includes not ingesting any foods or liquids that may be triggers for you. Making that choice is a step of personal empowerment and can lead towards a more comfortable day and weekend. Decide to ingest only what is good for you, no matter what is offered. Choose to feel joy for the foods that you can eat rather than regret for the foods that you cannot.
As you think through what may happen on Thanksgiving Day, there may be many situations or interactions that could also stimulate resistance. When these thoughts come to the surface, change your prediction of the outcome. Instead of thinking ‘the kitchen will be chaotic and cooking will be difficult’, replace the thought with ‘I will enjoy participating in Thanksgiving and everything will turn out wonderful’ Even if you don’t believe it, start to replace negative thoughts with neutral or positive thoughts.
When Thanksgiving Day actually occurs, remember to give thanks. If a migraine does occur, excuse yourself and do what you have to do. In the meantime, apply your abilities to relax whenever you can, remembering to stop and take a few deep breaths every once in a while.
If migraines are purely a physiological condition, they will arrive when your body decides they are going to arrive. If migraine is a neurological disease created primarily through genetic patterns, then anything that you read should have no influence on their occurrence.
On the other hand, if migraines have a psychological component, then your thoughts and beliefs could have an influence on their frequency or intensity. Begin exercising your power to re-pattern your thoughts. You can change your world, one little step at a time.
May your Thanksgiving be Peaceful and Joyous
Glenn
Copyright 2008 Glenn Stewart Coles
Know why I keep pestering you to substantiate your authority to speak on these matters? This column illustrates it.
Teri Robert and Megan Oltman have authority to speak on matters of Migraine and its management.
So far, you have a history of psychology and that’s it. That could be years of therapy, classes in college, or reading books. You might have a friend who has done these things.
Without citing the sources for your statements, you create a column full of what Wikipedia calls “weasel wording”. Without substantiating that you are an expert unto yourself, you’re making Age of Reasoning “well, it makes sense to me so it must be so” assertions.
You’re just not authoritative.
Everything you put in this column has been written about in more clear detail and with authority by Teri Robert in her book Living Well With Migraine Disease: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You…That You Need to Know.
Nothing new here.
I make no claims to be an authority. I am just a guy who learned how to eliminate migraines who is trying to share what I have learned.
I will admit that I have not read Teri’s book, only her blog. However, if everything from my article is in her book, then why does she claim that migraines are purely physiological???
I just re-read the article to see if there is a need for citations. Actually, just about everything is new (though you can look up Pavlov if you want). Acceptance-Awareness-Alteration is something that I made up to describe the phases that worked for me.
This article is not meant to be a scientific declaration, it is meant to be a discussion topic. I leave it to those better suited with funding, education and resources to prove or disprove what I am saying. My intention is to share insights that might help some people. I am sorry that my efforts offend you.
Glenn
Well, migraines are physical, but certainly they have a psychological effect on us. And I do believe that we can have some control over the psychological effects. Sometimes our coping strategies do not quite cut it, but coping is a process.
I have FMS (fibromyalgia) and chronic migraines, which has greatly affected my life and my choices. Took me more than a few years to figure out how to function and be satisfied with my limitations and my level of functioning. And I found many cognative therapy methods (much like what you have briefly outlined) that worked very well for me. But I would have to be loony toons to try a smile instead of a migraine abortive.
I like to have effective treatment, it is sort of a base line for the ability to function.
I do think it is really important to consider how you, your personality type and your habitual patterns, deal with stress situations and ongoing pain. When you get a feel for how you usually respond, your particular thought patterns, then you can work to tweek it in a way that helps you make the necessary adjustments. Not that that is an easy thing to do, since we pretty much develop some solid automatic responses to stress situations from childhood (maybe in part due to our personaity type and then the enviromental factors that led to those first initial responses), but however we developed these patterns they are pretty ingrained in us, to the point we often do not notice negative self talk or particular behavioral resposes to tension. And when we do figure these out, it takes a bit to change the pattern. And when we do change the pattern, learn to deal with stress in a way that works for us, well, life has a way of changing, needs change, goals change and then that strategy for handling stress may no longer be effective. Thus I think it is an ongoing process, but a process and a flexibility I find important to be aware of in my life.
So in the end, it is not just the pain. It is never just the pain. It is how to function with it and still live a fullfilling life. It is not about the quest for a cure, but with treatment and learning to live in a way that works for you.
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