Chronic pain is a pain in the neck. (Or knee or back or where have you.)
Ok, ok, corny joke.
What I really mean to say is that...
...chronic pain is not only a pain in the body, it’s a pain in the emotional heart.
Here are some of the additional pains we carry with us when we experience persistent pain:
“I can’t even do the bare minimum; I’m failing.”
“My pain will never change; I’m trapped.”
“I can’t hold a job or contribute to society; I’m worthless.”
“My family and friends don’t understand my pain; I’m alone.”
“I’m a burden; how could anyone love me?”
Sound familiar?
When we can’t do what we used to do (or what it seems everyone else can do), we perceive ourselves to be less valuable and our lives less significant.
A painful inner monologue like this may be a product of the messages we received growing up in the families we were in. It may stem from the messages we receive from society at large, or even the specific articles we choose to read and the voices we choose to listen to in the media.
Wherever it comes from, our inner monologue reveals what we believe about ourselves. When we speak this way to ourselves often, it further ingrains those beliefs.
But what if we’re wrong?
Is it possible that we’re not failing, trapped, worthless, alone, unlovable, etc.?
Scientific research has shown again and again that humans remember negativity more than positivity.
So it stands to reason that the point of view we hold toward ourselves is likely skewed toward negativity.
Ancient wisdom from around the world also affirms that we are inherently valuable, loved, and interconnected, and that freedom is possible.
Learning to see ourselves in this light is not easy, but it helps if we’re intentional about listening to voices that bolster our value.
One practical way we can do this is filtering what we expose ourselves to on social media. We can unfollow or hide the posts of any account that tends to:
lead us to compare ourselves to others
promote standards we can’t live up to
make us feel small
tempt us to wallow in self-pity or fester in rage
Not only can we filter out the voices that bring us down, but we can surround ourselves with voices that lift us up.
The best voices acknowledge the difficulty of reality, but also the reality of hope. We’ve taken the liberty of compiling our favorite such Instagram accounts that help us set the stage for a new, more helpful inner monologue.
5 Instagram Accounts That Soften Pain's Sting
Why we love this account:
Not only is Anna a coach and Licensed Mental Health Counselor trained in mind-body methods of healing, she herself has suffered from and overcome chronic migraine. Her account reminds us what’s true about pain and what’s true about ourselves.
Why we love this account:
Psychologist and integrative therapist Nicola Jane Hobbs takes a countercultural approach to living. Her account helps us shift from a mindset of constant striving to one that values rest and cultivates resilience.
Why we love this account:
Artist Charlie Mackesy reminds us what it is to be human, even with his non-human characters. His gentle posts acknowledge the difficulties of life and are imbued with humor, vulnerability, compassion, and wisdom.
Why we love this account:
Morgan Harper Nichols is an artist who brings the whole range of human experience to life through color and metaphor. Her work is warm, welcoming, and always points us toward beauty, growth, and self-compassion.
Why we love this account:
The New Happy® uses colorful graphs and charts to illustrate complicated truths about life in a simple way. It empowers us to harness perception and connection as a way to change our own lives and others’ for the better.
What do you think? Do you know these accounts? Are there any more you think we should add to the list? Let us know in the comments who makes YOU feel more human.
Also, if you liked this post, you might like our post about 5 Instagram Accounts That Inspire Us.