Talk therapy for opioid crisis

Recent study found people who received psychotherapy, such as simplified pain education and cognitive behavioral therapy, had a greater reduction in pain intensity than those who received usual care such as opioids and other pain medications. Opioids are commonly prescribed for chronic pain.

The new study, conducted by researchers from the University of Alabama, suggests talk therapy could provide a new approach to pain management. 'We need more than just medication and surgery for chronic pain because they do not eradicate the problem or increase physical function,' Dr Beverly Thorn, professor of clinical health psychology.

For the study, Dr Thorn and her colleagues collected data from 290 patients. They either received cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), simplified pain education (EDU) or usual care. CBT and EDU therapies were delivered in 10 weekly 90-minute group sessions, with all information and materials modified to be accessible to patients reading at or even below the fifth grade level.

Researchers found that CBT and EDU interventions significantly improved pain and physical function between pre- and post-treatment. Patients enrolled in the talk therapies decreased their pain ratings by 1.5 points, which met the threshold of being a 'clinically meaningful effect.'
These talk therapies were so effective in reducing pain because physical issues are also psychological. Pain involves emotions and thoughts, and all of these are processed by the brain.
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Keeping secrets may damage your health

Keeping secrets may be damaging to health because the internal torment drives up stress, causing sleeping problems, wrinkles and sickness.

According to scientists, 95 percent of people keep an average of 13 secrets at a time. The experts at Columbia University in New York said the amount of time thinking about the secret is more harmful to health than the secret.

Researchers said one of the most frequently kept secrets were sexual fantasies about a non-partner or having sexual relations with a non-partner.

Other commonly held secrets were sexual orientation, poor self-image, finances, poor job performance, health challenges and addiction.

These undisclosed thoughts can cause stress hormones, such as cortisol, to go wild. High cortisol can lead to high blood pressure and weak immune system.

Secrets may also impact the way we relate to others, people who have
secrets tend to change their language and behavior when communicating with their friends.

Secret-keepers are socially active and very vigilant than usual, they respond quickly to those they were keeping in dark.

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