Helping You Understand and Heal Pain

The Scream by Edvard Munch

If you're living with pain that just won't go away—despite rest, medication, or even surgery—you're not alone. Chronic pain affects millions of people, and for many, it’s deeply frustrating when tests show “nothing wrong.” But what if pain wasn’t just about the body? What if your brain and nervous system were playing a key role?

That’s where pain psychology comes in. At DrBillonesPsych.com, we help people understand the science of pain and how emotions, trauma, and nervous system patterns can keep pain alive—and how healing becomes possible.

Let’s explore what really causes chronic pain, how your brain learns it, and what you can do to change it.

Pain Is Real—and It Comes from the Brain

Pain is 100% real. And all pain—whether from a broken bone or a memory—is processed in the brain.

When you touch something hot, nerves send a signal to your spinal cord and brain. The brain decides: “Is this dangerous?” If yes, it produces pain. It’s like an alarm system trying to protect you.

But sometimes that alarm keeps going off—even when there’s no danger. That’s chronic pain. It’s not “all in your head”—but it is created and amplified in your brain.

Why Chronic Pain Happens: The Psychology Behind It

Here are four core reasons pain becomes chronic:

1. Your Brain Learns Pain

Just like we learn habits or skills, your brain can learn pain. Repeated pain signals strengthen neural pathways, making your nervous system more sensitive over time. This is called central sensitization. Even light touch or minor movement can now trigger big pain responses.

Good news: What’s learned can be unlearned.

2. Stress and Trauma Can Sensitize the Nervous System

If you’ve been through trauma, abuse, or prolonged stress, your nervous system may live in a constant fight-flight state. That makes your brain hyper-alert to threats—including normal body sensations. Trauma survivors are more likely to experience chronic pain, migraines, fatigue, and other “invisible” symptoms.

This doesn’t mean the pain is psychological—it means the nervous system is working overtime to protect you.

3. Fear Fuels the Pain Loop

Understandably, pain makes us afraid. But fear, worry, and avoidance can actually make the brain interpret sensations as more dangerous than they are. This is called pain catastrophizing.

When we think, “What if I’m broken?” or “I can’t handle this,” the brain amplifies the alarm. Over time, we can become stuck in a pain-fear cycle that makes healing harder.

4. Beliefs Shape the Experience of Pain

What you believe about your pain matters. If you’ve been told “nothing’s wrong,” “it’s all in your head,” or “you just have to live with it,” that can increase hopelessness and stress—and worsen pain.

But understanding how pain works gives you power. The brain can change. Neuroplasticity means we can retrain our pain system, build safety, and quiet the alarm.

How Pain Psychology Can Help

Pain psychology is not about “talking your pain away.” It’s about giving your brain and body new information—so the alarm system can settle.

Tools and approaches often include:

• Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)

• Trauma-informed therapy and emotional processing

• Somatic practices (safe movement, nervous system regulation)

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for pain

• Psychoeducation about how pain works (e.g. Explain Pain)

These approaches don’t treat symptoms as enemies—but as signals from a nervous system that’s trying to protect you, and maybe got stuck in overdrive.

You Are Not Broken—And You Can Heal

One of the most powerful messages pain psychology offers is this:

Your pain is real. And your brain can change.

Chronic pain is not a life sentence. With the right understanding and support, you can help your nervous system calm down, build resilience, and reconnect with life beyond pain. (Source: Open AI, ChatGPT, April 14, 2025)