Key messages

Communication helps you and those around you understand how you feel and your treatment plan so that you can be active in making the decisions that affect you. Being able to communicate with people in your life about your chronic pain is extremely important because talking about the challenges and experiences you face can help you sort out your feelings, relieve stress, and build or strengthen relationships.
It is normal to find it hard to talk to others about having chronic pain, your symptoms, your thoughts and your feelings. It’s ok not to share everything with all your friends or to ask your family or partner to respect your independence sometimes.
Preparing your thoughts, staying calm and composing yourself ahead of time will help you share the message that you want in the way that you want without letting your emotions take over.
Asking questions, being assertive and communicating your symptoms and goals are all ways you can make the most out of your clinic visits.