Why The Holidays Are More Difficult For People With Chronic Pain

Merry Christmas! Holidays are stressful for everyone because there is so much that needs to get done for Christmas Day and only so much time to get it all done. It can be even more stressful for people with chronic pain because you have to do the same things to prepare for the holidays that everyone else does, but you have to do it with pain. Holidays can be fun to celebrate, but it can be hard for someone with severe chronic pain because you don’t have as much energy as someone without pain does. Flares sometimes are triggered during the holiday season because we get out of our routines and sometimes push ourselves beyond our limits to prepare for the holidays. People with chronic pain have to think about things that someone without chronic pain would never have to consider because pain doesn’t take a vacation. Friends and friends want to be supportive of their loved ones with chronic but often are oblivious of the how it affects your every day life. Why are the holidays more difficult for people with chronic pain? In this post, I am going to talk about why holidays can be hard for someone in constant pain.

Holiday celebrations often cause fatigue- Holiday parties are fun, but when you live with chronic pain and have limited energy, it can be difficult because you don’t have as much energy as someone without pain does. Holiday celebrations are exhausting for anyone, but they can be even more exhausting for people with medical conditions who experience a lot of fatigue and already have less energy before they have even done anything. Many people with chronic pain experience fatigue because of pain, and holiday celebrations can make it worse. People with chronic pain often need to rest more, but it can be difficult during busy times of the year because there isn’t a whole lot of time to rest. Flares sometimes are triggered because a two-hour event that would make most people feel energized can completely drain someone with chronic pain. If someone with pain offers to hang out with you, cherish those moments because we often pay for it later.

Holiday food often triggers flares- Holiday cookies are delicious, but they can flare your symptoms, and that one cookie you thought was safe can cause someone with chronic pain to be in bed for a day. I don’t worry about gaining weight during holidays because I know weight gain is not permanent, and I can easily get back on track after the holidays. I do worry about eating too many holiday treats that flare my symptoms because there is nothing worse than having elevated pain levels on Christmas Day. During the holidays, we often go to a lot more parties, and we are surrounded by delicious food, which can be stressful for someone with chronic pain because holiday food often is not healthy and can trigger more pain. You can choose not to eat the holiday food and potentially avoid a flare, but a lot of us don’t because we want to have a glass of eggnog just like everyone else.

Weather changes can cause more pain- Extreme cold temperatures often can trigger more joint pain, and if you go somewhere where there is a significant weather change, it is not unusual to have more joint pain or to get sick. Weather changes cause more pain, and eventually your body will adjust to it, but it’s one of those things that is not in our complete control. Florida, it gets cold in the wintertime, but it’s never in the negatives and doesn’t get in the thirties every single day. When it is warm, and all of a sudden gets cold, I get migraine because my body can’t handle significant changes in the weather. Holidays can be hard for people with chronic pain because a lot of the time, weather changes cause more flares, making it difficult to want to leave our homes.

Sometimes we have to cancel plans- Chronic pain is unpredictable, and even though I am feeling well today, that doesn’t mean I will be feeling well tomorrow because my pain levels can change on a daily basis. People with painful conditions such as endometriosis often will experience debilitating pain that leaves them bed-bound for days at a time. It is a busy time of year for everyone, and sometimes it is too much for someone with chronic pain, and you have to cancel plans that you wanted to go to. People with chronic pain are not lazy or antisocial for canceling plans, but sometimes we have to make the tough decision not go to our friend’s holiday party because we can’t get out of bed. It is frustrating to have to cancel plans unexpectedly because you feel like you are letting people down, and most people don’t understand and think you just didn’t want to go. Sometimes you have to cancel plans because elevated pain levels are forcing you to, and you have to focus on self-care to get better.

I love spending more time with my family during the holidays but it can be hard to enjoy yourself when you live with chronic pain. You can’t do things at the same capacity as someone with chronic pain can without severe consequences. Often, we are expected to go at the same pace as someone without chronic pain does because people tend to believe that it’s something you can push through. It’s frustrating to have to bail on a holiday party that you wanted to go to, but it is so important that you listen to your body and try not push yourself past your limits. You will not enjoy the holidays if you are constantly in a flare because you are doing too much. Make sure that you schedule in rest because pushing through pain is not like pushing through a tough workout, and often will make it worse if you do too much. It is okay if you can’t move at the same pace as everyone else because you are still moving, even if you are doing it slower. I hope everyone celebrating Christmas has minimal pain and is able to enjoy themselves. Why do you think that the holidays are harder for people with chronic pain? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.

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