When you live with pain, often you want to do a lot of things with your friends, but live in a body that has limited energy and doesn’t want to do anything except sit on your couch and watch TV. We are approaching the holiday season, which means a lot of people are running around getting ready for the holiday. It can be fun to celebrate the holidays, but when you live with pain, it also can be difficult because you don’t have the energy that people without pain do. People in pain sometimes have more flares during the holiday season because you are going to a lot more parties and get out of your routine that helps you prevent pain. Pain does not take a vacation, and it doesn’t matter what time of year it is; you can’t get a break from pain because you only have some control over your pain levels. There is nothing worse than having increased pain levels on Christmas Day when you can’t rest because you are expecting a house full of people. Chronic pain can ruin holidays, and most people are completely unaware of how it affects your life even if they know someone who lives with chronic pain because it does not personally affect them. How can you make the holidays easier when you live with chronic pain? In this post, I am sharing a few things that I do to make the holidays easier while living with pain.
Do as much online shopping as you can- Many people with chronic pain have limited energy, and it can be very difficult to go to the store to buy gifts for your loved ones because that takes a lot of energy you don’t have. As a disabled person with a physical disability, I hate going to the stores during the holidays because it’s more crowded, and sometimes people cut me off and are rude. Shopping in the store is something that I will occasionally do, but I do prefer online shopping because I don’t face barriers that I would face in the store. In-person shopping is not only difficult for people with physical disabilities, but it can also be difficult for people in pain because it drains the little energy you do have. Online shopping can be a life-saver for people with chronic pain because it allows you to shop while staying in your pjs. You may still have to go to the store but do as much online as you can so you don’t have to spend as much time in the stores.
Rest as much as you can– During holidays, sometimes people will go to a lot of holiday parties which can be fun. If you live with pain, going to a lot of parties can drain your energy often causing more pain if you do too much. People often are busier during the holidays than they would be at any other time of the year which is why it’s so important that we schedule for rest to avoid overdoing it. Rest on days you aren’t busy because it will help prevent your pain from getting to a point where it is unbearable, and you can’t do anything for days. Rest is not laziness but is a non-negotiable for people with chronic pain!
Offer to host the holidays- Holidays are not always celebrated at my house, and sometimes I have to go to someone else’s house. I do love it when people come to me, and holidays are celebrated at my house because it makes it easier to manage my pain levels and the challenges of my disability in general. Offer to host the holidays if it’s not too difficult to drive somewhere because when you don’t have to drive to another location, it helps you save some energy. You don’t have to make a huge meal that requires you to spend hours in the kitchen, because that may worsen your pain. Keep it low-key because it is okay if you have to order in to save your energy, because the whole point of hosting the event is to make your life easier, not harder.
If you are hosting, ask people to bring a dish- Hosting events can be a lot of work and require a lot of energy that people in pain do not have. If hosting events is too much work for you, do not offer to host because it’s not worth it if it’s causing you to have increased pain for weeks afterward. Cooking a big meal for a lot of people is hard work for anyone, but it can be even more difficult for people with chronic pain who have limited energy. People in pain sometimes need a little more help because we can’t do things to the capacity people without pain can. Ask people to bring a dish if you are hosting, so you don’t have to do as much work and can avoid a flare from doing too much.
Use gifts bags for presents- People who live with chronic pain are not going to appreciate fancy gift wrapping as much as people without pain would because it requires more work to open, which can trigger pain. I have always struggled to wrap gifts, not because my pain limits me but because I am not good at it. Sometimes I have to wrap a gift because I don’t have a gift bag large enough for the present I bought, but if a gift bag is a choice, I am going to use it. Gift bags can be great option for people in pain because it requires very little energy to throw a present in a bag with a little tissue paper. It can also be helpful to ask for help wrapping a present, and sometimes you can order something that is already wrapped or go to the store to have them wrap it for you. Wrapping presents can take a lot of energy, and gift bags can make it a little easier!
Stick to your routine as much as possible- During the holidays, we often get out of our normal routines, but if you live with pain, it is so important to stick to your routine as much as possible. Some days, I am not able to stick to my normal routine because I am busy, but I try to stick to it most of the time because if I don’t my pain tends to flare.
Holidays can be fun to celebrate, but when you live with pain, it can be hard because pain doesn’t take a vacation. It is so important to listen to your body during the holidays because there is nothing worse than having to go to a social gathering with increased pain levels and having to fake being well. Holidays are stressful, and sometimes stress can cause your pain to flare, so it’s important not to allow yourself to get too overwhelmed and manage your stress levels as much as you can. I am always thinking about my pain because it’s hard to forget, but you can enjoy the holiday season while living with chronic pain. Don’t try to do too much, even if you are feeling well, because pacing yourself is so important. These are only a few things that you can do to make the holiday season easier while living with chronic pain but it’s not a complete list because it depends on what disability you have, and some people may not find these things helpful while others won’t. Find something that works for you and don’t let increased pain ruin the holidays for you. What do you do to make the holidays easier while living with chronic pain? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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