Part of the journey to healing chronic pain is creating new pain pathways that minimize the production of the stress hormones that trigger anxiety and pain. The old pain pathways do not go away, however, and can still be triggered from time to time. This may cause individuals who have freed themselves from chronic pain to feel they have "failed" in some way.

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom explains that it is natural (and probable) to re-experience pain. It is OK to have the negative thoughts and emotions as long as you recognize what you are doing to yourself. This awareness and acting on it (i.e., "failing well") can help establish the resilience you need whenever pain is triggered. For more information, visit: http://www.backincontrol.com/the-4-stages/stage-4-expanding-your-consciousness/fail-well