Chronic pain and friendship – A discussion on PainResource.com
Chronic pain and friendship
“Chronic pain is isolating,” writes Lisa Davis for PainResource.com. “It can prevent you from doing things with others that you used to enjoy—gardening, hiking, dining out—and can put a strain on relationships, especially with friends who can’t handle your condition and the changes it has brought.”
How can you avoid letting pain interfere with your friendships? When is it appropriate, as well as emotionally healthy, to end a connection that might be distressing you?
Lisa asked The Friendship Doctor some questions about chronic pain and friendship, focusing especially on issues that chronic pain sufferers might encounter with their friends.
You can read the interview in its entirety on PainResource.com
Category: Dealing with friends with health and/or emotional problems, IN THE MEDIA
I have a friend or acts like she is doing me a favour but typically turns out that she gives to get. An example, I have fibromyalgia. She offers to take me to Shaw Cable to pay my bill. Then afterward she drags me thru 3 thrift stores and I am on my feet (very difficult as the nerves on my feet are painful)for 3 hours. She says hold this lamp while I go to the washroom. She then leaves me holding the lamp for another 1/2 hour while she shops. She wastes my time as she doesn’t like to be alone. I,on the other hand, am a loner. I try to tell her now how long I wish to spend with her but if someone is there to pay attention to her she emotionally ditches me and can’t or won’t leave. I tell her that I told you earlier I had plans and need to go. As long as their is attention she won’t leave. She neglected her only child when she was attention seeking and now her daughter has a baby which she is seeking custody of. I seriously am worried about this child – long story. When she phones me she does no ask is this a good time to talk. She just goes on and on. The last time she asked about me. What a shocker that was but she missed the boat as when she called I stated that I am tired and only answered in case it was important. She just went on and on and completely missed the fact that I am tired. I finally interrupted her after 25 minutes and she was upset because I interrupted her. What happened to: Are you busy? I just feel like chatting and wait for the response. I am finding her self-absorption too much.
What a great topic! And an important one for friends of people in pain.