The Pain Habit

04/02/2026

I wrote this after noticing how many people quietly understand the science, do the work, and still feel stuck.

Often that’s not a failure of insight — it’s a sign of overwhelm.

Sharing it here in case it meets someone where they are.

Why understanding pain and recovery isn’t always enough. Learn how nervous system overwhelm keeps people stuck — and what helps instead.

14/01/2026

In persistent pain, people often do more when they need less and less when they need more.

Neither response is wrong.
Both are human.

Recovery often begins when the nervous system finds the balance point.

24/12/2025

7 psychological strategies for facing persistent pain — without forcing positivity or pushing through

If pain has taught you anything, it’s that willpower alone doesn’t work.

I’ve written a new blog that outlines 7 practical psychological strategies that help people meet pain differently — with less fear, less pressure, and more steadiness.

This isn’t about pretending pain isn’t real.
It’s about changing how the nervous system relates to it.

👉 Read the blog: https://www.thepainhabit.com/blog/7psychological-strategies

🎥 Watch the companion YouTube video (linked in the post)

If one strategy stands out for you, feel free to share which one in the comments.

Discover seven psychological strategies to steady your nervous system, reduce fear, and face persistent pain with clarity, calm, and confidence.

16/12/2025

Read this weeks blog for a story full of inspiration and then perhaps pointing to the next step for you.

ME/CFS recovery story — how Chris Sykes-Popham overcame chronic fatigue and created the FreeMe app to help others heal through awareness and safety.

16/12/2025

ME/CFS recovery can feel impossible — until the right understanding lands.

This short video shares the key insight that began Chris Sykes-Popham’s recovery, and how that journey inspired him to create the FreeMe app to help others heal.

🎥 Watch the 90-second summary: https://youtube.com/shorts/xnysKoQ6esw

🔗 Try FreeMe via The Pain Habit: https://freemehealth.com/getapp?source=ThePainHabit

His story offers hope, clarity, and a powerful reminder that the nervous system can change

Enter your email to get your download link. Take control of your ME, CFS or Long Covid in less than 15 minutes a day with the groundbreaking neuroscience based app.

15/12/2025

For years, Chris lived with exhaustion so deep it felt impossible to recover.
But his breakthrough didn’t come from pushing harder…
It came from understanding what his body was trying to protect him from.

When fear softened and awareness grew, his nervous system changed — and so did his life.
The insight that began his recovery led him to create the FreeMe app, now helping others do the same.

🎥 Watch the full conversation on my YouTube channel
🔗 Try FreeMe via The Pain Habit: https://freemehealth.com/getapp?source=ThePainHabit

What part of his story resonates most with you?

12/12/2025

🎄 If your symptoms feel louder at Christmas, you’re not failing — your system is loaded.

December brings excitement, pressure, memories, comparison, disrupted routines…
Even “good stress” is still stress on a sensitive nervous system.

You’re allowed to pace.
You’re allowed to soften.
You’re allowed to pause.
You’re allowed to be human in December.

Small acts of care matter more than perfection.
A breath. A warm drink. A moment outside.
Your system needs reassurance, not performance.

If you need a softer Christmas this year, you’re in good company.

tmscommunity somatictracking holidaystress christmas2025 stressrelief healingjourney painrecovery mindbodyconnection

08/12/2025

You are not the role you learned.
And you are not your triggers.

So many of the patterns that shape our pain today were written long before we had a choice:

Being the strong one.
The peacemaker.
The high achiever.
The quiet one.
The carer.
The fixer.
The “don’t rock the boat” child.

These weren’t personality traits — they were survival strategies.
Your nervous system became loyal to them because they kept you safe.

But the audience you were performing for… is gone.
The director of that old story… is gone.
The child who needed that role… no longer exists.

Not one cell in your body is the same.

If your pain feels confusing — if your body reacts as though you’re still in your childhood environment — this may be why.

This isn’t blame.
This is context.
And context can change everything.

When the nervous system realises:
“I am not that child anymore,”
it begins to loosen its grip on the old script.

And that’s often where recovery starts.

🪞 Reflection:
What role did you learn to play in childhood that may still be shaping your body today?

—
traumahealing somatichealing YouAreNotYourTriggers

06/12/2025

When the body thinks you’re unsafe, pain increases — even when nothing is damaged.

Safety signals calm the alarm.

05/12/2025

Sometimes Christmas feels bigger than we expect — even when it’s full of good things.

The nervous system doesn’t know it’s the holidays.
It just feels the extra noise, busyness, emotion, and expectation.
I’ve written something gentle for anyone finding this time of year a little overwhelming.

It’s about pacing, grounding, small moments of care, and remembering that you also deserve a place within the season.
You can read it here:

👉

Christmas can feel overwhelming when you’re living with persistent pain. Learn gentle pacing, grounding, and self-care practices to help you soften the season with compassion.

03/12/2025

The pain–fear–pain loop is one of the most powerful drivers of persistent symptoms.
When the sensation feels threatening, fear increases tension — and tension increases pain.
This is protection, not damage.

Catch the micro-moment of fear and soften…
That’s when the loop begins to unwind.


thepainhabit physiotherapist neuroscienceofpain