Growth in crisis: A mixed methods study of lessons from our patients with chronic pain during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The current COVID-19 global pandemic has disrupted life in many ways. Adapting to a “new normal” continues to be an unsettling experience for many of us. For individuals with chronic pain, adaptation is familiar. In this study we turn to their experience to better understand what resilience can look like in the setting of major life changes. Participants were recruited from an outpatient pain management clinic from mid-March through June 2020 and completed measures assessing resilience, chronic pain acceptance, and an open-ended question examining the impact of chronic pain on their experience during COVID-19. Qualitative and quantitative analyses identified themes of acceptance and resilience. Furthermore, baseline depression was found to be associated with less cognitive/affective positivity (an aspect of resilience) and less pain willingness (an aspect of acceptance). In this brief snapshot of the chronic pain experience, we are reminded of the invaluable lessons learned from our patients. They offer us a model of resilience from which we can foster our own overall wellbeing in the context of continued stress and disruption.