Pain changes us. The minute we start to hurt, we make adaptions to how we move, what we do, and where we go. When we keep re-organizing our lives around our pain, we can become separated from our typical daily routine. The more we start to pull back, the less likely we are to go to work, exercise, walk, or even leave the house. Once this happens, we feel ourselves disconnect emotionally from friends, loved ones, and co-workers. Very quickly, we can start to lose much of what we value and enjoy about our lives.

Unfortunately, this kind of loss can be the biggest casualty of having chronic pain. Let’s take a look at some of the life-changing types of losses that I see patients face on a regular basis and where to look for help.