Four strategies spanning cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based therapies, positive psychology and acceptance and commitment therapy can help you get back in the game.
STOP is a mindfulness-based skill that helps build equanimity.Values-aligned living is a method to live meaningfully in the present moment, even when discomfort arises. Many athletes struggle with persistent physical pain at one point or another.
Whether you’re coming back from an injury or managing nagging back pain, you might be looking for mental training techniques that can lower your pain and help you get back in the game. Sport performance and pain management are best served by a holistic approach that nurtures your psychological and emotional life. That’s because both the pain experience and athletic skill execution are not purely physical or biological – they’re impacted by psychological, emotional and social factors as well. Let’s dive into the strategies you can start using today.Self-defeating thoughts are detrimental both in the sports arena and in pain management. We’ve all been there: You feel an unpleasant sensation – like a sinking feeling ofin your stomach as the game begins, and you think, “I’m anxious. Here we go again. I’m about to blow it.” You feel your pain increasing, and the thoughts churn: “Great. I’ll probably miss a whole week of work.” Imagined catastrophes fill your mind. Manage these thoughts with the 3 C’s: Catch it, Check it, and Change it.Evaluate the evidence. Would everyone see it this way? Are you taking an extreme or overly negative view? If your best friend were here with you right now, is this what they would be telling you? Stick to the facts.Write a more helpful narrative. In this example, a more helpful thought might be, “Hello, nerves. Thanks for helping my body gear up for something I care a lot about. It’s OK to feel this. Let’s go!”Equanimity is the ability to stay balanced and in control of your actions, no matter what might be happening inside or around you. It’s a secret weapon in sports and in pain management. Practice STOP – acreativity , flexibility, persistence, resilience, frustration tolerance, and better performance. They even release pain-relieving and mood-boosting biochemicals: your brain’s natural pharmacy! Nurture positive emotions by doing a three good things practice – at the end of each day, recall or write down three things that were good about the day. Savor the positive whenever possible – when something good happens, pause. Allow any positive or meaningful thoughts and feelings to linger in your body and mind for 20-30 seconds. Resist the urge to gloss over the good and hurry on to the next thing. Contributing to others is another science-backed way to promote positive emotions. Do a few random acts of kindness over a few days for a friend or teammate, and you might experience the “warm glow” of giving.When anxiety and frustration take over, it becomes easy to lose sight of what truly matters. It becomes easy to obsess over outcomes instead of enjoying the process of competing and of living. We doubt ourselves and overthink. We avoid things that might bring joy out ofas an athlete and human. Beyond the changing winds of gain and loss, pleasure and pain, and praise and blame — what do you stand for? Examples are community, courage, excellence, continuous learning, creativity,and commit to doing those – even if you’re uncomfortable. For instance, your deepest value might be family, yet you notice yourself skipping your kids’ band concerts out of fear of worsening back pain. Values-aligned living might look like attending the concerts and planning some breaks throughout to get up and walk or stretch. The physical activity and emotional rewards from attending more frequently have the potential to lower your pain over time. In a sports context, continuous growth might be one of your core values. To live that out, treat every failure as information that guides your next move – instead of proof that you’re not good enough. In the big picture, everyone’s journey towards pain recovery and sport mastery is unique. Try these strategies as part of a holistic, personalized plan. Trust yourself – you can do it., 1367-1377. Vallerand, R. J., Mageau, G. A., Elliot, A. J., Dumais, A., Demers, M. A., & Rousseau, F. . Passion and performance attainment in sport.Tang, N. K., Salkovskis, P. M., Hodges, A., Wright, K. J., Hanna, M., & Hester, J. . Effects of mood on pain responses and pain tolerance: an experimental study in chronic back pain patients.Manninen, S., Tuominen, L., Dunbar, R. I., Karjalainen, T., Hirvonen, J., Arponen, E., ... & Nummenmaa, L. . Social laughter triggers endogenous opioid release in humans.Self Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.
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