Chronic pain is no different. The first stage is Denial and Isolation. When we are first diagnosed with a chronic pain condition we often deny it. This isn t happening to me. The doctor is wrong.
Denial is a normal initial response to any loss.
We don t want to believe this is happening. We usually feel very alone during this stage. Next comes Anger. That stupid doctor doesn t know any thing. Although this is a normal stage of the grief process, we have to make sure we don t get stuck here.