Each Monday this series of articles will feature pain management techniques to help you decrease and cope with pain.  It’s your at-home pain management class!

Last week we looked at guided imagery which helps reduce pain through suggestion and images.  An image is paired with your pain, and by reducing, decreasing or changing the image in some way, your pain may also decrease.  Today’s guided imagery uses a sunset as the image.

Guided imagery with a sunset image

There are several ways to use this exercise:

• read through the exercise and then do it from memory (it doesn’t have to be done exactly as I’ve written it)
• tape record the exercise yourself, then play it back for yourself to do
• have someone else read or record the exercise for you

As you try this guided imagery, see if you begin to benefit even more than with the regular relaxation exercises you’ve tried.

Your assignment:  Do a guided imagery exercise at least once a day.

Other articles in this series:

• How to change a habit, part 1
• How to change a habit, part 2
• Breathing exercises, part 1
• Relaxation exercise, part 1
• Breathing exercises, part 2
• Websites that help you stick with your new habit
• How are you doing with your new habit?
• Try 1/2 a habit
• Visualization
• Feedback on changing habits, part 1
• Feedback on changing habits, part 2
• Guided imagery, part 1
• Guided imagery, part 2
• Stress management, part 1
• Stress management, part 2