28/10/2025
If you have been suffering with chronic pain, this is an interesting read and could suggest some additional things to consider when managing your condition
🧡 If you live with chronic pain, being hard on yourself might be part of the problem
According to a new study, being overly self-critical may actually make chronic pain worse.
Researchers found that people living with chronic conditions like migraines, back pain, or arthritis tend to score higher in perfectionism, lower in self-compassion, and often have less belief in their ability to cope.
The international study, led by Murdoch University in Australia, compared over 500 adults with chronic pain to a similarly sized group without it. Participants answered online surveys measuring three traits: perfectionism, self-compassion and self-efficacy, meaning their confidence in managing challenges. The results showed that those with chronic pain felt intense pressure to meet others' expectations.
They were also far less self-compassionate and, in one of the studies, less confident in their ability to manage daily life. People who were harder on themselves were more likely to push through pain to meet unrealistic standards, fueling more stress and frustration. The link between perfectionism and lower self-efficacy was particularly strong when self-compassion was also low. Without self-compassion acting as a buffer, chronic pain seemed heavier and harder to manage emotionally. This suggests that it’s not just the physical pain itself but also how someone thinks about their pain, their performance, and how others might judge them that worsens the experience. While the study can’t prove cause and effect, it does suggest that targeting self-critical thinking and perfectionist tendencies could help.
Source: Ditchburn GJ et al., “Perfectionism, self-compassion, and general self-efficacy between those with and without chronic pain,” Psychology & Health, 2025.
