How to handle it — pain and your head, in the moment
Moves for when the pain and the low mood are feeding each other.
The pain's spiked and it's dragging your mood down with it.
— Right now
- Ride the spike — flares peak and ease. Slow your breathing right down through it.
- Don't catastrophise the flare into 'it'll always be this bad'. It passes.
- Do your pacing and pain plan, not a panic. Gentle movement often beats total stillness.
— Don't
- Don't reach for extra grog or pills beyond your plan to cope — it backfires.
— Later
- Track what triggers flares. Patterns give you back some control.
The pain's spiked and it's dragging your mood down with it.
— Right now
- Ride the spike — flares peak and ease. Slow your breathing right down through it.
- Don't catastrophise the flare into 'it'll always be this bad'. It passes.
- Do your pacing and pain plan, not a panic. Gentle movement often beats total stillness.
— Don't
- Don't reach for extra grog or pills beyond your plan to cope — it backfires.
— Later
- Track what triggers flares. Patterns give you back some control.
Pain & head: the short version
- 1.Flares peak and ease — breathe through, don't catastrophise.
- 2.Pain and depression run together — it's not weakness.
- 3.Your worth isn't your output.
- 4.Don't isolate — pain shrinks your world.
- 5.Treat both pain and mood — ask your GP.
Doing it tough?Call Lifeline 13 11 14