Title: Understanding Chronic Pain: Beyond Hurt

None of the hosts are medical professionals. This episode offers education, validation, and peer support. It is not medical advice.

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment or medication.

Chronic pain is much more than “something hurts.” It can change:

In this episode, Greg and co‑hosts Rich, Jay, Derek, and Sam sit down for an honest, vulnerable conversation about:

Greg opens with a simple grounding definition:

It’s different from acute pain, which is your body’s early warning system that something is wrong.

When pain persists, the nervous system can become overly sensitive, so:

Chronic pain doesn’t stay in one box. It can:

Weaken the immune system

Affect heart and circulation

Disrupt digestion

Change weight

Affect breathing

Turn everyday tasks into major challenges

Force changes in hobbies and movement

Chronic pain doesn’t just live in the body. It also changes how the mind works.

It can feel like climbing a mountain when you’re already exhausted.

This often feeds:

Especially in a world that celebrates “pushing through” pain instead of respecting limits.

Greg and the co‑hosts talk about how chronic pain affects:

Common emotional and social impacts:

When a partner, parent, or caregiver lives with pain, roles at home often shift.

Physical closeness and sex can become:

Even in loving relationships.

One of the hardest parts, as Greg puts it, is that chronic pain is often invisible.

People around you might say:

Scans and blood tests may come back “normal” even when the pain is intense.

Pain is complex: it involves both body and brain, and current tests don’t capture everything.

Greg emphasizes:

“If you live with chronic pain, even if tests show nothing, your pain is still real. Your experience is valid and it matters. Not seeing anything on a scan doesn’t mean you’re imagining it or making it up.”

Greg invites each co‑host to share three things:

How it began:

Social/emotional impact:

Rich shares:

“I missed a lot of memories and a lot of quality time with people, so I could sit back with a washcloth on my forehead… socially it takes a toll.”

Later in the episode, echoing something Sam said about people not wanting to hear about pain anymore, Rich adds:

“You say ‘my back hurts, my legs hurt, my joints hurt’ so many times that loved ones tune out… It’s isolating. It’s lonely.”

What helps Rich:

How it began:

At 18, he went from an “iron stomach” (drinking beers, eating wings with friends) to his first episode, which he thought was the flu.

Social/emotional impact:

Because cannabinoid hyperemesis is triggered by cannabis use, he faced:

Even a doctor telling him not to come back to the ER for his condition.

This affected relationships, including his engagement:

Jay recalls:

“They even brought a security guard to escort me out… You wear out your welcome with medical professionals.”

What helps Jay:

Jay shares:

“Since I’ve had the groups with you fellas and the podcasts, I’ve really found the emotional pain has gotten a lot better. I feel included, loved… Support groups are there. They help a lot.”

How it began:

Physical impact:

Emotional impact:

After the injury:

Over time, he learned to:

What helps Derek:

An “amalgam of stretches,” combining:

Walking, breathing, and listening to what his body says, including:

Derek offers a powerful reframe of pain:

“Sometimes, even in the worst moods and the worst pain I’ve ever felt… I get solace from the ability to experience pain, considering how close I came to dying… At least you’re able to feel this. At least you’re not dead from the brain injury.”

How it began:

Physical & medical journey:

Now:

Social/emotional impact:

He describes his body as feeling like it’s in “mutiny”:

He spent time on the streets in active addiction before entering recovery.

What helps Sam:

Accepting that:

Sam sums it up:

“You don’t really ‘get over it.’ You learn to live with it and learn different coping strategies.”

How it began:

“If you can’t move it, go get Greg.”

Impact on life:

What helps Greg:

Distraction and purpose, like:

Gratitude practices focused on:

Service work in recovery communities (such as Alcoholics Anonymous)

Getting out of his own head by helping others

Greg shares:

“These groups have helped tremendously… To anyone listening who lives with chronic pain, you’re not alone and your experience matters. It’s okay to take one step at a time.”

Your pain is real even if tests are “normal.”

Chronic pain affects:

It is completely reasonable to feel overwhelmed.

People with chronic pain often feel:

This creates deep loneliness.

There is no single cure for most chronic pain conditions.

Peer support matters.

Greg wraps up with gentle, practical ideas—not prescriptions, just options to explore if they feel doable.

Each day, jot down:

This can help you spot patterns and triggers over time.

Examples:

The goal is not to erase pain, but to give your nervous system a brief moment of calm.

Keep it small and realistic. For example:

Tiny, consistent changes often work better than big, unsustainable pushes.

Pick someone you trust and agree on:

That way, you don’t have to explain everything every time.

(All websites confirmed to have an active web presence as of December 7, 2025.)

U.S. Pain Foundation – Education, advocacy, peer support programs (including Pain Connection).

Chronic Pain Anonymous (CPA) – 12‑step style fellowship for people living with chronic pain and illness.

American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) – Peer support, self‑management tools, resources.

National Pain Advocacy Center (NPAC) – Policy and civil‑rights advocacy for people living with pain.

Chronic Pain Research Alliance (CPRA) – Research‑focused coalition on complex chronic pain conditions.

International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) – Global pain research, education, and resources.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) – Evidence‑based patient guides and healthcare resources.

American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) – Nursing education and best practices.

Canadian Pain Society – Professional society with advocacy and educational resources for patients and clinicians.

Pain BC – Resources, programs, and a Pain Support Line for people in British Columbia (many tools helpful elsewhere).

Arthritis Foundation – Support, education, and advocacy for people living with arthritis.

American Migraine Foundation – Education, research, and support for people living with migraine.

National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) – Support and advocacy for people with fibromyalgia and chronic pain.

Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy – Education, research, and patient support for peripheral neuropathy.

Always check with your healthcare provider before making changes to your care or relying heavily on an app.

Bearable – Symptom, mood, and habit tracker to spot patterns and triggers.

mySymptoms Food Diary & Symptom Tracker – Helps identify links between food and digestive symptoms.

Health Storylines – Track symptoms, medications, and daily health data; create summaries to share.

PainScale (Pain.com) – Pain diary and education platform developed in collaboration with Boston Scientific.

Curable – Biopsychosocial pain‑education and coping app using mind–body approaches.

Pathways Pain Relief – Education, physiotherapy, mindfulness, and CBT‑based tools for chronic pain.

Pain Coach (VA) – Free app from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs / National Center for PTSD to help manage chronic pain.

Many mindfulness apps include meditations and series specifically for pain, stress, and sleep. Examples:

Search your device’s app store for:

Organizations Dedicated to People with Pain – A directory curated by the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

IASP Global Year – Annual global campaign focusing on a specific aspect of pain care.

If you’d like a safe, supportive space to talk with others who truly understand what it’s like to live with:

Greg and the team host several free online peer support groups each week.

📅 Kindness RX Support Groups Calendar (Luma)

👉 https://luma.com/calendar/cal-oyT0VPlVTKCPxBw

From that page, you can:

You can also learn about the broader KindnessRX.org community resources here:

If this episode helped you or someone you care about:

Greg:

“Thank you for listening to The Support & Kindness Podcast. Join us next time for another inspiring conversation. Until then, take care.”