For the more than 37 million Americans who suffer from migraines, the FDA authorization of Click Therapeutics’ CT-132—the first prescription digital therapeutic for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine—is more than a headline. It offers the potential for expanded access, improved quality of life, and the legitimization of digital medicine as a cornerstone of care.

Rewriting the Migraine Narrative

For people living with episodic migraine—those experiencing up to 14 migraine days a month—prevention is critical. Migraine is far more than “just a headache.” It is a neurological disease that can be disabling, impacting work, relationships, and emotional well-being.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, almost 90 percent of people with migraines are unable to work or function normally during an attack. What’s more, only about 12 percent of those with migraines receive preventive treatment—a treatment gap due to side effects, fear, access barriers, or lack of awareness.

“This is where CT-132 emerges as a potential game-changer,” said Click Therapeutics Founder and CEO David Klein in an exclusive comment to Medika Life.  “We’re entering a new era of migraine care—where doctors can harness the power of both proven medicines and clinically validated digital therapeutics to meet patients’ urgent needs.”

Data That Delivers

Until recently, the FDA approved most digital health approaches under the device 510K pathway with limited clinical data.  FDA marketing authorization for CT-132 was supported by biopharma-like data from the pivotal ReMMi-D randomized controlled trial, in which CT-132 met its primary endpoint by significantly reducing monthly migraine days on top of background pharmacotherapy,

In the bridging study, ReMMiD-C, CT-132 showed similar performance in patients on prescription calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors such as Aimovig (erenumab), Ajovy (fremanezumab), Emgality (galcanezumab), Vyepti (eptinezumab), Ubrelvy (ubrogepant), Nurtec ODT (rimegepant), and Qulipta (atogepant).  CT-132 is an adjunctive treatment to medication, giving it broad potential use.

CT-132, delivered via a mobile app, achieved statistically and clinically meaningful results in the ReMMi-D pivotal trial. Participants who used the digital therapeutic reported a mean reduction of 3.04 monthly migraine days, compared to just 0.9 days in the sham group (p=0.005). That means real days—at work, with family, outside in the sun—returned to people’s lives.

In a condition where every single migraine-free day matters, the ability to deliver those gains without pharmacological side effects through a smartphone app democratizes access to care. It opens the door to new options, particularly for those who cannot tolerate or access traditional therapies.

“This marks a significant milestone for the more than 37 million adults in the US who live with migraine,” said Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAAN, Chief Medical Officer of Click Therapeutics. “CT-132 offers eligible patients a new path to reducing the burden caused by migraine—one they can access anywhere via an evidence-based mobile application on their smartphone.”

Digital Care, Doctor-Led

Importantly, CT-132 does not sideline clinicians—it includes them as front-and-center leaders in care delivery. As a prescription-only digital therapeutic, CT-132 is designed to be used under the guidance of a health provider, adding a new clinical approach to physician-directed personalized care. It enhances—not replaces—traditional physician-patient relationships by enabling clinically validated, behavior-based treatment delivered consistently between visits.

Neurologists and primary care providers who manage migraines now have an evidence-based, non-drug adjustive approach to care, especially to patients who have tried multiple therapies and continue to have breakthrough episodes.

Data is the Gatekeeper

The approval also signals a broader truth long-awaited in digital health: evidence is everything. As digital therapeutics gain traction, the FDA and the medical community are asking for the same rigor as traditional pharmaceuticals.

“For digital health ventures to gain the confidence of regulators, providers, and patients, clinical validation must be central,” said Julien de Salaberry, CEO of Galen Growth. “This approval is a reminder that digital therapeutics can meet gold-standard evidence expectations—and that’s how they earn a place in modern medicine.”

[See Medika Life special report: Consumer HealthTech: A Data-Driven Evolution in Health Engagement]

According to Galen Growth analytics, only 24 percent of digital health companies globally have demonstrated clinical strength through trials or peer-reviewed publications. CT-132 stands out and sets the bar. Generating clinical evidence in digital health has become a marker for success. Galien Growth recently published its landmark analysis of digital health and consumer use, which includes the importance of data for product and category progress.

A Future Forward

The approval of CT-132 reflects a movement in medicine, reimagining how we define treatment, access, and wellness. It’s a reminder that innovation is not just about what is possible, more importantly, what is proven. As more digital therapeutics enter the pipeline, the CT-132 journey offers a case study of what it takes to cross the threshold from hope to health reality.

This approval to market brings something invaluable to people with migraines: urgency. The ability to be treated anywhere, on their terms, using science-backed interventions, gives people not just fewer migraines but more voice in their care.

This is not just a regulatory milestone. It’s a human one.

[This article is not sponsored or requested by any company. The author has been covering digital health since 1995 and seeks to highlight sector trends. He maintains editorial independence.]

The post A Digital Turning Point in Migraine Care: CT-132 FDA Approval to Market is a Win for Patients and Proof that Clinical Evidence Matters appeared first on Medika Life.

Years of pain – a dim look into a future that might have included a feeding tube or motorized scooter – and being dismissed frequently by the health system – underscore medicine’s shortcomings. The journey from worsening digestive function and painful neuropathy to post-surgical relief highlights an essential truth: The patient’s voice is a critical diagnostic tool, yet it is too often ignored or undervalued.

In two prior published pieces for Medika Life, I explored the challenges of diagnostic complexity and health-systemic fragmentation. In Looking for Zebras, I wrote about medical mysteries and how patients with rare or atypical conditions are often dismissed or misdiagnosed in a system designed to manage the average, not the exceptional. In We Know the Health Ecosystem is Fragmented, Resulting in Rising Costs and Poorer Patient Outcomes, But What Are We Doing About It, I called for centering health delivery around patient outcomes – Health System Kinetics – emphasizing treating patients as whole people rather than their isolated symptoms.

Now, I revisit these themes with renewed urgency and a personal lens, advocating for a health system that listens—to patients, advocates, and their potential to improve people’s lives and reduce care costs.

Listening to the Patient: A Missed Opportunity

For many years, my young adult experienced worsening neuropathy—moving from occasional discomfort to using a cane and eventually a walker. Despite multiple consultations and MRIs, no definitive diagnosis emerged. Physicians, each specialized in their narrow field, treated her symptoms piecemeal: one focused on her spine, another on her joints, and yet another on her nervous system. The resolution was to vary pain medications to address symptoms, adding medicines on top of medicines. The bigger picture was lost in translation, as no single practitioner took ownership of connecting the clinical dots.

This experience is symbolic of the “silo effect” in medicine. Specialization has undoubtedly advanced and, at the same time, compartmentalized the field, creating gaps where Zebra-like conditions like hEDS fall. Worse, when patients like my child describe their experiences—pain, immobility, or even emotional distress—physicians begin to roll their eyes – the worst clinical response. Doctors like patient problems that are easy to fix.

In our case, it took a patient advocate—someone who personally understood hEDS—to guide us toward the right questions and the right specialists. Her lived experience as both a patient and an expert in navigating the system became the linchpin for my child’s eventual on-point diagnosis and treatment. This advocate understood what the health system did not: The interdependence of symptoms and the importance of listening to the patient and looking at the non-obvious puzzle piece.

The Power of Patient Advocacy

Patient advocates bridge the chasm between clinical expertise and lived experience. They translate medical jargon, connect patients with appropriate specialists, and, most importantly, validate the patient’s voice.

In listening to the advocate, I heard the voice of my late father-in-law, Burton Giges, MD, a brilliant clinician who always asked a critical question when addressing complex clinical cases: “What is the underlying cause of the symptoms?” However, as a parent, I was skeptical of the non-medically trained patient advocate who suggested root causes for GI problems whose resolution required surgery. One doctor we consulted from a noted teaching hospital even confronted us, “Who are you going to believe a patient or me?”

Thankfully, we pursued the patient advocate’s counsel and eventually traveled to California to MALS Surgical Specialist Dr. Danny Shouhed. The outcome was a successful MALS surgery to relieve pressure on the celiac artery and restore normal GI blood flow, resulting in normal digestive function. But, like many rare conditions, the medical maze continued.

Our advocate’s role went beyond logistics; she gave us hope when the system offered none. Her guidance led us to a team of specialized neurosurgeons at Brown University Rhode Island Hospital and Patricia Leigh Zadnik Sullivan, MD, Director of the Center for Spine Tumor and Chordoma Research, who confirmed the tethered cord syndrome diagnosis and later performed this complex surgery. Post-operative improvement was almost immediate: reduced neuropathic pain, increased mobility, and a promising sense of physical autonomy not experienced in years.

This transformative outcome raises a critical question: Why did it take an outsider to achieve what the health system itself should have delivered? Advocacy shouldn’t be a workaround but a core component of care.

Reordering Priorities: Outcomes Over Office Visits

The fragmented state of health is not just a disservice to patients; it’s a detriment to the system itself. Rising costs and poor outcomes are direct consequences of this disjointed approach. Each specialist operates within their silo, often incentivized by metrics like the volume of patients seen or procedures performed rather than by long-term outcomes.

In Reordering the Health System’s Priorities, patient outcomes must become the central organizing principle of health access and delivery. This isn’t just a lofty ideal; it’s a practical necessity. A system focused on outcomes would:

1. Promote interdisciplinary collaboration. Specialists must be empowered and incentivized to collaborate, share insights, and co-develop treatment plans.
2. Integrate patient voices. Patients are not passive recipients of care; they are active participants. Their experiences, preferences, and insights must inform individual care plans and broader systemic improvements – not given lip service.
3. Leverage data intelligently. Electronic health records and diagnostic technologies generate vast amounts of data, but it is only valuable if synthesized into actionable insights. Medical teams must use technologies – AI, ChatGPT, and LLMs to connect dots and see patterns that might usually be overlooked.

Had these principles been in place, my child’s correct diagnosis might have come months, even years, earlier. Instead, it took an advocate outside the system to untangle the threads.

The Hidden Costs of Ignoring Patients

When the health ecosystem discounts patient experience, it fails individuals and incurs added costs. Delayed diagnoses lead to prolonged suffering, reduced quality of life, and higher medical expenses. For our family, years of neuropathy meant not only physical pain but also the emotional toll of feeling unheard and unseen.

Moreover, the economic implications are staggering. Treating symptoms in isolation often leads to more office visits, redundant tests, unnecessary procedures, and avoidable complications. A study published in Health Affairs estimated that diagnostic errors alone cost the US health system billions annually, to say nothing of the human cost.

Listening to patients isn’t just compassionate; it’s cost-effective. Their insights can streamline diagnostic processes, reduce unnecessary interventions, and improve adherence to treatment plans—all of which contribute to better outcomes and lower costs. But to make that possible, medical teams need to be trained differently and incentivized to listen – not just hear words.

Transforming the System – Three Tips to Make Healthcare More Caring

So, how do we create a health system that listens?

1. Train Physicians to See the Whole Person

Medical education must evolve to emphasize holistic, patient-centered care. This means training doctors to consider the interplay of physical, emotional, and social factors—and to listen deeply to their patients. Breaking down silos requires structural changes, such as multidisciplinary clinics where specialists work side by side, sharing insights and jointly managing complex cases.

2. Integrate Advocacy into the Care System

Patient advocacy should be institutionalized, not incidental. Hospitals and clinics should employ patient advocates as part of care teams, ensuring every patient can tap into a guide to navigate the system’s complexities.  Payers should consider employing patients who can objectively call upon their experiences to ask questions as ambassadors for better care.

3. Measure What Matters

Health organizations must redefine success metrics. Instead of focusing on patient volume or efficiency, they should prioritize metrics that reflect patient well-being, such as functional outcomes, quality of life, and patient satisfaction. My child can now feel surfaces with their feet – impossible before because of painful neuropathy. They feel they are “walking on the moon.”

Communication is Part of the Care

Like many others, our journey highlights the system’s failures and amazing potential. It is a sobering reminder that while medical science has made extraordinary strides, it is still fallibly human. We look to the magic of AI, ChatGPT, and LLMs to resolve problems, but in our rush to innovate and specialize, we have lost sight of the most fundamental aspect of care: listening.

Patients are not puzzles to be solved or cases to be closed; they are people with stories, insights, and wisdom to share—they hope for a healthier future. By listening, we can bridge the gaps in care, transforming outcomes and the experience of the care journey.  

As we look forward, remember that the most powerful diagnostic tool is not a test or a scan but the patient’s voice. Let us not dismiss it – but use it.

[My gratitude to the Marfan Foundation, Nieca Goldberg, MD, CNS Summit, Rachel Lee, Patient Advocacy Consulting, FINN Partners, Danny Shouhed, MD, Residence Inn by Marriott, and the many patient advocates I’ve met through the years who champion the voice of people in the care trenches]

The post Looking for Zebras: Listening to Patients, Healing the Health System appeared first on Medika Life.

Scientific Progress for Patients and a Category

At the core of the ReMMi-D trial was the evaluation of CT-132, a prescription digital therapeutic, for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine. The study included 568 participants and was designed with the scientific rigor traditionally associated with pharmacological interventions. The results were compelling: patients using CT-132 experienced a reduction during three-monthly migraine days by the end of the 12-week treatment, a key metric in migraine management.

More than reducing the frequency of migraines, CT-132 showed improvements in patient-reported outcomes related to quality of life and disability, such as the Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire and the Migraine Disability Assessment. These metrics matter because migraine is a neurological condition that disrupts life activities, affecting employment and social relationships. For the millions of people who have unpredictable and disabling migraines, improvement can have profound quality of life.

According to a statement by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAAN, chief medical officer of Click Therapeutics:“Click has developed and evaluated a first-in-class digital migraine preventive therapeutic, CT-132, in 2 separate clinical studies to demonstrate a reduction in monthly migraine days, the gold standard measure. We look forward to advancing our FDA Breakthrough Designated asset through regulatory clearance and, if successful, offering a new therapeutic option that can be delivered to any eligible patient with a smartphone, meaningfully enhancing access to care.”

Building on Existing Treatment Possibilities

Migraine remains one of the most debilitating neurological conditions, affecting more than 37 million Americans. Despite pharmacological treatment advances, many people still find their lives shaped by frequent, unexpected, debilitating episodes. Existing medications can be effective, yet they don’t work for everyone and at every instance.  Some patients struggle with adherence, side effects, or simply the anxiety around consistent relief.

CT-132 holds the potential for a new kind of intervention. Delivered by a smartphone, this digital therapeutic is designed to work alongside patients’ existing medications, augmenting their current treatments rather than replacing them. Notably, the trial was designed to evaluate CT-132 in patients already using standard migraine medications. Data from the trial points to the efficacy of CT-132 as a stand-alone intervention and suggests an additive benefit when combined with existing FDA-approved pharmacological treatments.

This approach is key to conditions like migraine, where no single treatment is universally effective. For many people, managing migraine calls for a combination of therapies—some interventional, others pharmacological, and still some behavioral. CT-132’s success demonstrates that digital therapeutics have the potential to be additive to that combination, helping people regain control over their condition.

A Potential Step Forward for Digital Health

The results of this trial are even more noteworthy for an entire sector because CT-132 is one of the first digital therapeutics to be evaluated with the same rigorous standards typically applied to pharmaceutical interventions. The randomized, double-masked, controlled study design is a gold standard in clinical research, and Click Therapeutics has brought that level of precision to the digital health category.

Stan Kachnowski, PhD, MPA, founder of HITLAB and a prominent figure in health informatics, has also echoed the importance of this transformation, stating previously that “The convergence of digital therapeutics and traditional healthcare is one of the most promising avenues for improving patient outcomes. Clinical data helps substantiate the effectiveness of digital interventions, paving the way for broader adoption in complex diseases like migraine.”

Digital health has often been touted for its innovation and potential, but the field has faced great skepticism around its ability to deliver scientifically proven results. The CT-132 trial is an answer to those on the sidelines, demonstrating how digital therapeutics—with ample clinical data—can improve people’s outcomes. The nearly 100% completion rate of daily tasks in the trial speaks to the potential for sustained patient engagement, an essential factor in the long-term success of any therapeutic intervention.

Recent FDA guidance on Prescription Drug Use-Related Software (PDURS) opens the door to a new treatment category combining digital and pharmacological interventions. The data from CT-132 adds weight to this model, opening the wide door to showing how digital therapeutics can support existing treatments and may offer added measurable benefits.

What This May Mean for Consumers

The implications of this study are significant for people and physicians who treat migraines. Beyond diagnosis, migraine is more than a medical condition—its constant presence dictates when and how people can work, study, and socialize. The Click Therapeutics data suggest a new avenue of relief that is readily accessible and shows the potential to reduce the burden of migraine in daily life.

In digital health, data is key.  Julien de Salaberry, CEO and founder of Galen Growth has often emphasized: “Data is the defining difference in how we can transform digital health into a category with the same rigor and trust as traditional biopharma.” This sentiment captures the critical role that data plays in not just validating the efficacy of digital therapeutics but also in driving their adoption and integration into mainstream healthcare​.”

Moreover, the trial was designed to be used alongside existing medications, which could assist people who feel they have already exhausted their treatment options. This is important for those who experience ongoing migraine symptoms despite the use of preventive, newer migraine medications. Digital therapeutics with demonstrated data may provide an added layer of treatment that doesn’t require the introduction of more drugs or drug-related side effects.

Future of Migraine Treatment and Digital Health

This trial’s success is more than a win for Click Therapeutics—it signals what’s possible in digital health. In demonstrating that a digital intervention can demonstrate clinical outcomes in a condition as debilitating as migraine, CT-132 may have set the bar for digital therapeutics and offers private and public payers reason to become excited about the category.

As more digital therapeutics enter the clinical landscape, their ability to integrate with and enhance traditional treatments will be crucial to their success. This trial shows that digital solutions can do more than provide “feel-good” supplementary support—they can drive measurable improvement in patient health. The data are essential to showing that hype cannot be a clinical option; digital health must deliver high evidence before being considered a serious patient option.

By setting this new precedent for clinical validation, Click Therapeutics has contributed to a more significant shift in how we think about digital health. It’s not just about innovation for its own sake—it’s about how technology can change how we manage health when designed with scientific rigor and people’s needs in mind.

The post Forget Hype – Digital Therapeutic Data Show the Category Can be Held to High Clinical Standards appeared first on Medika Life.

With an eye on the rigorous anti-doping regulations, pharmacists navigate the complex landscape of sports pharmacotherapy. They play a crucial role in promoting physical health and sports performance, incorporating sleep, nutrition, and cutting-edge recovery techniques like dry needling. Thus, they shape tailored recovery pathways that keep athletes at the peak of their performance.

Understanding the Role of Pharmacists in Sports Recovery

Pharmacists are emerging as pivotal figures in sports recovery, offering a blend of expertise that extends beyond traditional pharmacy roles. Their involvement ranges from ensuring the safe and effective use of medications to providing personalized care that addresses the unique needs of athletes. This section delves into pharmacists’ multifaceted roles in sports recovery, emphasizing their contribution to optimizing athlete health and performance.

Pharmaceutical Care and Clinical Services

Pharmacists are stepping into the sports arena, focusing on pharmacotherapeutic follow-up and offering clinical services to athletes across all levels of sports. This includes advising on the proper use of medications, managing drug interactions, and ensuring treatments align with anti-doping regulations.

Medication Management and Doping Prevention

With a deep understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, pharmacists guide athletes on using supplements and medications, minimizing the risk of inadvertent doping. Their role is crucial in educating athletes about the potential risks associated with certain substances and in navigating the complex landscape of banned substances.

Customized Medication and Support

The ability to compound medications allows pharmacists to tailor treatments to the specific needs of athletes, enhancing the precision of dosages. They also play a key role in overall athlete wellness, offering support that spans nutritional advice, pain management, and psychological well-being.

Integration with Sports Teams

By working closely with other healthcare professionals on sports teams, pharmacists ensure a coordinated approach to athlete health care. Their expertise complements the efforts of physiologists and nutritionists, contributing to a holistic strategy that promotes long-term athlete health and peak performance.

Educational Role

Pharmacists are educators at heart. They provide valuable information to athletes about safe medication practices and the importance of compliance with anti-doping measures. They are instrumental in preventing doping violations by offering clear guidance on using over-the-counter and prescription medications within the sports context.

Through these roles, pharmacists are not just dispensers of medication but are integral to the health and success of athletes, ensuring they perform at their best while maintaining optimal health.

The Science Behind Recovery: Medications and Supplements

Evaluating Efficacy and Risks of Supplements and Medications

Misconceptions and Dietary Excesses

1. Protein and Amino Acids: Despite popular beliefs, there is no scientific proof that supplements significantly enhance muscle size, strength, or performance. The average American diet provides more than enough protein, and excess can lead to kidney strain and other health issues.
2. Sports Drinks: These are beneficial primarily for athletes engaged in long, strenuous activities where significant electrolyte and fluid loss occurs. For most, a balanced diet and adequate hydration are sufficient.

Beneficial Supplements for Recovery

• Creatine: Aids in muscle recovery post-immobilization, supports growth during rehabilitation, and reduces oxidative damage to muscles.
• Collagen and Vitamin C: These supplements are shown to boost collagen production, which can thicken cartilage and alleviate joint pain.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Known for their anti-inflammatory effects, they help reduce muscle inflammation by decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines.
• Curcumin: Exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, helping reduce arthritis symptoms.
• Vitamin D: Essential for bone healing and can expedite the recovery of muscle strength post-injury.

Vitamins and Antioxidants

• Vitamins C, E, and A: Often referred to as antioxidants, these are crucial during rehabilitation for tissue regeneration. However, mega-doses of vitamins A and E might impede bone density improvements post-strength training.

Medications for Pain and Inflammation

• NSAIDs: While they can alleviate symptoms of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), their long-term efficacy and impact on muscle growth are debatable.
• Acetaminophen: Useful for post-exercise pain and can enhance performance by reducing pain perception during activities.
• Beta-Alanine and Caffeine: These supplements improve performance by buffering muscle acidity and enhancing stamina, respectively.

This exploration into the science behind recovery medications and supplements underscores the importance of a tailored approach, guided by knowledgeable healthcare providers, to optimize athletic performance and recovery.

Navigating Anti-Doping Regulations: A Pharmacist’s Perspective

Pharmacists, often unsung heroes in the sports world, wield a significant influence over the integrity of sports through their role in anti-doping regulation compliance. Their knowledge and vigilance ensure that athletes adhere to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines, which aim to maintain the spirit of fair competition.

The Role of Pharmacists in Anti-Doping

1. Interpretation and Application of the WADA Code: Pharmacists interpret the complex WADA code for athletes, ensuring they understand the implications of their medication and supplement choices.
2. Education on Prohibited Substances: They provide critical education on the Prohibited List and the consequences of violations, which includes both intentional and inadvertent doping.
3. Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE): Pharmacists guide athletes through the TUE process, ensuring those with legitimate medical needs can compete without penalty.
4. Resource Provision: Tools like the Global Drug Reference Online (Global DRO) are promoted by pharmacists to provide athletes with easy access to drug compatibility with doping regulations.

Essential Resources and Training

Pharmacists utilize several resources to stay updated and provide accurate information:

• Global DRO: A tool that offers quick checks on the compliance of medications with current doping regulations.
• Continual Education: Engaging in ongoing education through programs offered by WADA, USADA, or the International Olympic Committee to remain current on anti-doping measures.

Advocacy for Clean Sport

Pharmacists are advocates for clean sport, often working behind the scenes to ensure athletes compete fairly. They:

• Promote Anti-Doping Education: Engage in outreach to educate the community about the importance of clean sports.
• Support Regulatory Compliance: Assist in developing policies that uphold anti-doping standards effectively.

Through these roles, pharmacists contribute significantly to the realm of sports. They enhance athlete awareness and compliance with anti-doping regulations, ensuring that the competition remains fair and untainted. Their expertise protects the health of athletes and the integrity of sports globally.

Case Studies: The Pharmacist’s Impact on Athlete Recovery

In the world of sports, the role of pharmacists in aiding athlete recovery is not just significant; it’s transformative. Let’s delve into a couple of case studies that vividly illustrate this impact.

Case Study 1: Recovery and Return to Play Post-Injury

A professional soccer player suffered a severe hamstring injury during a match. Under the guidance of a sports pharmacist, a recovery regimen was crafted, focusing on anti-inflammatory medications and muscle recovery supplements. The pharmacist also integrated a diet plan enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and protein to enhance tissue repair. Regular consultations ensured the athlete avoided any substances that could lead to inadvertent doping. The result? The player returned to the field earlier than anticipated, with improved muscle strength and reduced risk of re-injury.

Case Study 2: Long-term Rehabilitation from a Shoulder Surgery

Consider the case of a swimmer undergoing shoulder surgery. Post-surgery, a pharmacist specializing in sports medicine devised a plan that included pain management through NSAIDs and a supplement strategy incorporating Vitamin C and collagen to aid in healing connective tissues. The pharmacist’s role extends beyond just medication management to advising on sleep patterns and active recovery techniques, which are crucial for an athlete’s rehabilitation. The swimmer’s recovery was significantly expedited, and she was able to compete in national championships much sooner than expected.

These cases underscore the pivotal role pharmacists play in healing athletes and ensuring their optimal return to sport, equipped with robust recovery strategies.

Conclusion

Throughout this exploration, we’ve seen the indispensable role pharmacists play in sports recovery, highlighting their capabilities in managing medications and supplements and their broader contributions to athletes’ recovery strategies. By integrating a scientific understanding of sleep, nutrition, and active recovery techniques, pharmacists craft tailored recovery pathways that optimize athletic performance and underscore the importance of a holistic approach to athlete health. Their expertise in navigating the nuanced aspects of pharmacotherapy and anti-doping regulations further ensures that athletes can strive for peak performance within the bounds of fairness and ethical competition.

The presented case studies underline pharmacists’ transformative impact in sports recovery, offering real-world illustrations of how pharmacists’ interventions can expedite the healing process and enhance athletes’ return to peak condition. As the field of sports medicine continues to evolve, the collaboration between pharmacists, athletes, and other healthcare professionals will undoubtedly become even more vital in fostering environments where athletes can safely and effectively reach their potential. For athletes and sports enthusiasts keen on embracing these advancements, keeping informed on the latest in recovery science is key. Follow for more! In doing so, they ensure they have knowledge that can significantly impact their performance and overall wellness.

The post Unlocking Peak Performance: How Pharmacists Contribute to Sports Recovery appeared first on Medika Life.

But it also made me cry… and as a vehicle for getting in touch with my emotions, it helped me step out of an intensity spiral 🌀 that had been brewing in me for a few days — the kind of spiral that, if left unchecked, can often result in a headache for me.

Here’s a step-by-step of how I was reluctantly healed by Barbie 😅. Regardless of what you think of the doll or the movie, you might relate to parts of this story…

It started with stress… and escalated into the stress cycle

When we experience a flare-up of anxiety or any of the physical symptoms that can come with it (like pain), we often want to trace the steps back to how and why the flare-up started. “What caused it? What could I have done to avoid it?” We’re often looking for one singular thing that we did “wrong” so that we can course-correct for the future.

But most of the time, it’s not one singular thing. Stress is cumulative. And in my case on this particular occasion, I’d recently heard several heavy stories of sad news, I was (and still am) undertaking a number of home improvement projects with my partner, and a week I’d taken off for vacation wound up being subsumed in to-do’s.

These normal, everyday stresses that come with life then kicked my stress cycle into gear. For me, it looks like this: I start fixating on stress-induced thoughts. Thoughts like, “I’m not doing enough. My partner is working harder than me, so I should be doing more. I shouldn’t relax because he’s not relaxing…”

These thoughts, of course, perpetuate more stress. It becomes a cycle that escalates.

I recognized the symptoms of the stress cycle starting to brew

In the old days, I used to think self-critical thoughts were true. And I thought that I just needed to do more and be better in order to quiet those thoughts down. I still get caught up in that kind of thinking… when I’m stressed.

What I recognize now is that those thoughts themselves are a symptom of stress. And they seem very true when I’m stressed! It’s an act of will to notice them and name them as a stress symptom so that I can start making choices that will help me unwind from the stress cycle.

Another stress symptom I noticed was that it was getting harder to concentrate on work. I felt like I was pushing myself instead of feeling led by inspiration or energy. Work started to feel like a drag and I began to feel resentment towards it.

In the days before I ever experienced a migraine, I would ignore these signals that are telling me to slow down. And I still do, sometimes. But what my recovery from chronic pain has taught me is that ignoring the signals can have very unpleasant consequences — and that as hard as it is to step off the stress merry-go-round, there are immeasurable benefits to doing so before my nervous system pulls the emergency break in the form of a pain flare-up.

I didn’t do it “perfectly”

Yes, I’ve gotten much better at listening to my nervous system’s signals. But I’m not “perfect” at it! I don’t always catch the stress before it manifests in physical pain. And I did wake up with a mild headache before fully tending to the stress.

The headache — along with increasing levels of feeling jittery throughout the morning — were my nervous system’s way of sending a louder signal. One that I decided to heed.

I’d planned to spend most of the day working on my podcast. But I made an executive decision to step away from my desk, play hooky for the rest of the day… and go see the Barbie movie. I figured two hours of sparkly pink Hollywood entertainment would get my mind out of productivity overdrive and overwhelm.

Then came the guilt!

I tiptoed out of the house, feeling tremendously guilty that my husband was still glued to endless Zoom meetings for work.

I debated whether to even tell him that I was going to the movies.

I finally sent a text message to let him know… and then sat with the waves of guilt mixed with waves of relief all the way to the theater.

Lights, camera, tears

The lights went down in the movie theater, and just as I’d hoped, the magic of Hollywood glitter took my preoccupied mind into another dimension. But much to my surprise, it wasn’t just a trip to the land of distraction and fluff.

Despite my misgivings about Barbie… that dang movie got to me. And I cried! I literally wept in the theater. Funny enough, the movie touches into a lot of the themes that we talk about in chronic pain recovery: Breaking out of numbness and feeling your full range of emotions, taking off the mask of perfectionism and revealing your authentic self…

I was reluctant to be swept up in the story — but it was exactly the emotional release that I needed. And my whole mind and body felt like they were re-set and re-energized by the time the lights came up again.

Laughter and perspective

By the time I got home, all the feelings of guilt that my stress-cycle churned up had subsided. My partner was still working away when I turned the key in the door, and when he got up to greet me he said, “Where’d you go? I didn’t know you were out!”

I had to laugh at all the angst and worry I put myself through debating whether it was okay to take time for myself while he was working.

It felt good to give him a hug and tell him about my movie escapade — and I could tell he enjoyed seeing me in such a good mood.

My takeaways from this vignette? While I might not have time to run away to the movies every day, feeling guilty about slowing down to unwind is always a signal that… it’s time to slow down and unwind. In whatever way, shape or form is available to you. Even if it starts off as a guilty pleasure, making time for pleasure will guide you back home.

➡️ If you need support with chronic pain and anxiety, take my FREE QUIZ called “Why the *bleep* am I still in pain?!” so I can help you get some clarity.

The post Reluctantly Healed By Barbie 😅 appeared first on Medika Life.

Here are the lifestyle tools I use to expand my health- and lifespan:

1. I stay physically active.
2. I don’t smoke.
3. I manage my stress.
4. I do not drink alcohol excessively.
5. I maintain good sleep hygiene.
6. I avoid opioids.
7. I try to maintain positive social relationships.

Today, I want to examine a new study that illustrates the power of these eight lifestyle interventions to extend lifespan when adopted by midlife.

I Turned 60!

Earlier this year, I turned 60. While I always focus on my health and well-being, this turn into my seventh decade has me more focused on maintaining good health.

On a recent trip to Madrid and Seville, I observed the lives of our European counterparts.

Fruits had more pop to them. Desserts seemed far less sugary than those here in the States. And social interactions abounded. What can I learn from our friends across the pond?

I am fascinated by the last observation. Groups of men, families, and women all seemed to gather in the evening constantly. We joined in, dining between 10 and midnight.

First, here are some observations of William Shakespeare:

Crabbed age and youth cannot live together:
Youth is full of pleasance; age is full of care;
Youth like summer morn, age like winter weather;
Youth like summer brave, age like winter bare.
Youth is full of sport, age’s breath is short;
Youth is nimble, age is lame;
Youth is hot and bold, age is weak and cold;
Youth is wild, and age is tame.
Age, I do abhor thee; youth, I do adore thee;
O, my love, my love is young!
Age, I do defy thee: O, sweet shepherd, hie thee,
For methinks, thou stay’st too long.

A New Study Linking Lifestyle and Lifespan

Before we explore the new study examining the relationship between lifestyle and longevity, some caveats are in order.

The study I will present is observational, making it impossible to establish causality. While the researchers attempted to control for confounding factors, we should interpret the findings carefully.

Scientists analyzed data from over 700,000 enrollees in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program MVP. This program aims to help researchers evaluate how lifestyle, genes, military experiences, and exposures impact health and well-being.

The team presented its findings at Nutrition 2023, the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts (USA).

The data was from 2011 to 2019 and featured U.S. military veterans ages 40 to 99. Over 30,000 individuals died during the follow-up.

8 Habits That Might Add Decades to Your Life

The researchers examined all-cause mortality. They calculated longevity for male and female veterans separately.

Those who adopted all eight habits had a one-eighth reduction in the chances of dying compared to those adopting none of the habits.

Put differently, men adopting all eight habits at age 40 would be predicted to live 24 years longer (on average) than men who adopted none. Women adopting all eight habits by 40 would live 23 years longer.

8 Habits That Might Add Decades to Your Life — Not So Fast

When I first saw headlines about the study, I became excited about increasing my lifespan by 24 years.

On closer evaluation, the results are less impressive. I am comparing myself to someone on opioids who smokes and drinks excessively. That 24 years suddenly seems less impressive.

However, this finding resonated more with me:

Adding just one healthy behavior to a man’s life provided an additional four-and-a-half years. Adding a second tacked on seven more years, and three additional habits appeared with 8.6 extra years.

As additional lifestyle changes increased, so did the benefits for men.

For women, lifespan also increased by adding healthy behaviors. For example, one healthy behavior added 3.5 years to a woman’s life. Adding two added eight years, and three appeared linked to a 12.6-year increase.

The study reveals an association — not a cause-and-effect relationship. Moreover, given the focus on U.S. military veterans, the findings may not apply to all.

Ranking the Lifestyle Choices

The study ranked the eight lifestyle behaviors by their influence on longevity.

1. Exercise. Physical activity is the most important behavior to improve your health. Adding this behavior dropped death risk by nearly one-half (46 percent) compared with non-exercisers. This finding jibes with results from other studies. I ask my patients to walk 30 minutes daily, five days weekly. Add in two days of resistance training, too. I use regular walking as the base of my fitness routine. After my vision-threatening pituitary tumor scare, I re-focused on physical activity.
2. Opioids. Drug overdose and opioid misuse remain a serious public health crisis in the United States. This epidemic includes heroin, prescription opioids, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Drug overdose deaths from prescription and illicit opioids have sharply increased since 1999. Over 300,000 people have died from them nationwide in the last 15 years. That’s about 55 people per day. Not getting addicted to opioids was the second most important contributor to a longer life, dropping early breath risk by a whopping 38 percent.
3. Never using tobacco. This lifestyle maneuver dropped premature mortality risk by nearly a third (29 percent). I would parenthetically note that quitting smoking at any point yields significant health benefits. Your primary care clinician can help you quit tobacco.
4. Managing stress. Stress management is something that I have recently focused on. The study showed managing stress reduced early death by just over one-fifth (22 percent).

More Lifestyle Choices

5. Eating a plant-based diet. I am not a vegetarian or vegan but follow a healthy plant-based approach, such as a Mediterranean diet. Have you considered upping your whole grains and leafy green vegetables?

6. Avoid binge drinking (four or more standard drinks daily). Avoiding excessive alcohol is easy for me, as I do not particularly enjoy alcohol (the occasional cup of sake notwithstanding).

7. Getting a good night’s sleep. I aim for seven to nine hours nightly, although, to be truthful, I am lucky to get seven. Numerous studies associated poor sleep with bad health outcomes, including premature mortality.

8. Being surrounded by positive social relationships. With age, I find myself pruning away negative (including toxic) folks from my life. I have a core group of supportive friends and family. I know that social isolation is associated with a significantly higher chance of dying early.

My Take on Lifestyle, Longevity, and Healthspan

One of my takeaway messages is that benefits are available even if we cannot adopt all eight healthy habits.

The available data hints that adopting healthy habits when we are older yields smaller gains in life expectancy but is likely still provides value. The earlier you start, the better. But even if I make changes in my 60s, I should get some benefits.

I have long advised my patients to eat well and to get regular physical activity. This study helps to quantify the gains associated with adopting healthy habits.

Finally, while an expert committee evaluated the abstracts chosen for Nutrition 2023, this process is less valuable than a peer review process required for publication in a scientific journal.

Healthy habits can improve overall quality of life, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and increase happiness and well-being.

The study reminds us that we can meaningfully impact our life- and healthspan by adopting simple lifestyle maneuvers. What can you do better?

Paying better attention to my sleep hygiene has paid huge dividends. With sufficient sleep, I am more productive, a safer driver, more energetic, and (here, my nurse Melissa and my wife might agree) less grumpy.

The post 8 Habits That Might Add Decades to Your Life appeared first on Medika Life.

I find this concept helpful for understanding and healing from chronic pain and other stress-related symptoms, but I want to propose an additional layer of nuance.

Fear, like pain, is something that we need for survival. Without fear, we wouldn’t run for cover when a tornado is coming. Without pain, we wouldn’t pull our hand away from the stove when we get burned.

So, it wouldn’t be accurate to say that all fear is undesirable or that all fear leads to chronic pain. And it’s certainly impossible to get rid of fear or to never feel afraid again.

But there’s one type of fear in particular that I find most often in clients who struggle with chronic symptoms, and that is the fear of social rejection. This fear can trigger self-abandoning thoughts and behaviors, and habitual self-abandonment leaves us feeling helpless and hopeless. It can put our nervous system into a state of chronic stress that manifests in chronic symptoms.

Here are some anecdotal examples:

I’ve seen folks who are afraid to sit, stand or walk because it hurts, and the more they fear these activities, the more the pain persists. But what really escalates their pain levels is the fear that they will be rejected by their family, their job, their partner and friends for not being able to “keep up.” This social fear preoccupies them so greatly that they spend most of their energy trying to please others rather than prioritizing their own feelings, needs, desires and pleasures. And this habit of self-abandonment puts them in a chronic state of stress.

I’ve seen folks who are afraid to go out for a night on the town for fear that it will trigger a migraine attack. And the more they fear and predict pain, the more the pain persists. But what really escalates their attacks is the fear that friends and loved ones will see them as weak or pathetic or uncool for not being able to “keep up.” And again, it’s that social pressure that triggers self-abandoning habits which in turn leads their body to feel like it can’t trust them. And when our body feels like it can’t trust us, it freaks out and pulls the emergency alarm: symptoms.

If any of this is resonating with you, you might be wondering: OK now what? Now that I’ve recognized this pattern of fear of rejection and self-abandonment that exacerbates my stress levels and symptoms, what the heck can I do about it?

And my answer might not be what you want to hear, because when we’re feeling fearful, we want quick solutions and certainty. And as far as I know, the antidote to self-abandonment is something far more complex than that: it’s the gradual journey of developing self-compassion.

Developing self-compassion is slow work. It’s gentle work. It’s asking ourse in each moment, “what is the simplest, easiest, most doable step I can take right now to be just a little bit gentler and kinder toward myself?”

We can’t develop self-compassion with harsh expectations or by pressuring ourselves to transform our self-relationship overnight. We have to give ourselves the grace to do it one baby step at a time.

So, keep it simple and ask yourself, “what is the simplest, easiest doable step I can take — from exactly where I am right now — to bring just a tiny bit more kindness and gentleness into the way I treat myself?”

I’d love to hear what you come up with!

➡️ If you need support with chronic pain and anxiety, take my FREE QUIZ called “Why the *bleep* am I still in pain?!” so I can help you get some clarity.

And follow me on Instagram for healing tips, inspiration and encouragement.

The post The Role of Fear and Self-Abandonment in Chronic Symptoms appeared first on Medika Life.

The following was excerpted with permission from Healing Honestly: The Messy and Magnificent Path to Overcoming Self-Blame and Self-Shame 2023 Berrett-Koehler Publishers www.bkconnection.com

Now I get to introduce you to a friend of mine, Anna Holtzman, LMHC, who has helped me so much on my chronic pain journey. Anna is a licensed therapist and chronic pain expert whose expertise is at the intersection of chronic pain and trauma. She is also a childhood sexual trauma survivor, and you know we love survivor-to-survivor wisdom!

A year ago, I was dealing with chronic migraines. At my request, Anna sent me information about how chronic pain works in the body, along with resources like guided imagery and journaling prompts. One of the coolest things I learned was that research shows that simply learning about how chronic pain works can in and of itself be an effective treatment for pain. So many fellow CSA survivors struggle with physical pain, like shoulder/neck/ back pain, migraines, and pelvic pain the way I have. It isn’t a coincidence, and it certainly isn’t our fault.

WITHOUT GETTING TOO PHILOSOPHICAL ON YOUR ASS, WE ARE GOING TO ASK OURSELVES, “WHAT IS PAIN?”

Anna explained to me, “Pain is nothing but a danger signal and triggered by fear. Sometimes the danger is physical, like a broken leg; sometimes the danger is emotional, like emotional abuse.” She continued, “Pain is a danger alarm created in our brains when our nervous systems feel unsafe. This is a process that doesn’t happen consciously, nor is it based on decisions we make.”

There are loads of examples of how this mind-body connection works. If we are nervous about a job interview, having a difficult conversation, or awaiting results of an important test, we may get stomach pains, nausea, loss of appetite, tightness in our neck and back. Or, if you’re me, you get the nervous bubble gut and you’re just grateful to make it through without pooping your pants. We don’t decide to get an upset stomach or back pains during these high-stress experiences; they are things that happen subconsciously.

There are these one-off stressful experiences, “but when you are dealing with chronic stress or chronic trauma, it can cause chronic pain. We can see examples around us, like having a super stressful job, which is an everyday experience, which may lead us to have headaches or back pain most days,” said Anna.

It all sounds too simple, right? Well, that’s kind of the point, she said. “This is all actually very simple. We all intuitively understand the connection between pain and trauma and our mind and body. But we’ve been conditioned to distrust our own knowledge of our own emotional and physical experience. We have been gaslit into believing our emotional feelings are not valid.”

While the world outside of us tells us that physical and emotional pain are completely different things, one being considered “real” and provable and the other constantly invalidated and dismissed, they are interwoven inside of us.

Anna explained, “Physical pain and emotional pain are created in very similar parts of the brain, so the two are inextricably connected. They are coordinated aspects of stress response, so we cannot divorce one from the other, not ever. Even if you have pain from a bone, there’s an emotional response to that from the physical sensation of the broken bone.” I can personally attest to that as someone who, as a kid, all on separate occasions, broke her leg, three toes, one finger, and an arm (from literally, I shit you not, napping on the couch while watching Baywatch reruns and slowly rolling over onto the floor, landing on my arm. Yes, it was just a regular couch.)

Anna continued, “Chronic pain is a result of the chronic tension between the part of us that wants to fight back and the part of us that has learned to be afraid to fight back, probably for good reasons, at least in childhood or before you had allies to support you.”

To illustrate the point, she offered us this prompt:

• First, let’s imagine lots of angry energy inside of you, the kind of fury of fighting back against all that is wrong. Tap into the anger and fury that is a part of each of us.
• Now that you’ve tapped into that feeling of righteous anger, try suppressing all that fighting energy with all of your might.
• What does your body feel like when you try to suppress your anger and fighting energy? It may feel pretty tense and tight in your body. If each of us sustained that for a while, we might start to feel some pain.
• Now that this little experiment is over, give your limbs a light shake or do some deep exhalations to release all that tension and discomfort, because that isn’t a pleasant feeling!

Presumably, if we continued to suppress and silence the natural fight response in us for long periods of time, say our whole childhood, we can see how some pain would start to develop. So this prompt is helping us understand a little better how chronic pain comes from this tension of suppressing our healthy natural emotional selves. Whether the prompt was illuminating to you or not, that’s okay; we have more to learn together!

COMMON SURVIVAL BEHAVIORS THAT CAN PERPETUATE CHRONIC PAIN (NONE OF WHICH ARE ANYTHING FOR US TO FEEL ASHAMED OF!)

In further exploring the chronic pain and CSA survivor relationship, Anna explained to me that there are some common survival behaviors that we survivors engage in that can perpetuate chronic pain.

1. Vigilance and preparing for the threat of danger.
   Many survivors experience hypervigilance as a part of their trauma. I feel I am often on high alert, playing worst-case scenarios in my head as a way to anticipate danger and prepare for ways to deal with the fallout. Do you observe yourself being constantly on high alert? No shame if you do! This was developed for good reasons!
   
   “The habit of vigilance perpetuates chronic pain because it keeps our danger alarm on high alert all the time. Pain is a danger signal, so when we fear we are in danger, our body sends us pain as a message, Anna explained. If we spend a lot of time with our danger alarms going off, this can continue our cycles of pain.
2. People pleasing and suppressing anger.
   Many of us can relate to being conditioned to suppress anger, because if we tried expressing it when we were younger, we may have received explicit or implicit signals that it wasn’t safe for us to be angry. Have you observed any people-pleasing/appeasing tendencies within yourself? Again, no shame if you have! This was developed for good reasons! (Yes, I will repeat this again because it is worthy of repetition!)
   
   “The people-pleasing/appeasing/suppressing anger survival behaviors perpetuate chronic pain in a few ways, including that when we have the urge to fight back but have to suppress it, it is as though our internal gas pedal and brake pedal are being slammed on simultaneously, which causes physical tension,” Anna explained.
3. Perfectionism and self-criticism (I am the best at this one!)
   My therapist says I am the best at criticizing myself for things that aren’t my fault — which also fulfills my perfectionist tendencies, so take that. We can be so hard on ourselves in hopes that it prevents us from “inviting” (we never actually invite abuse from someone, hence the quotation marks) abuse from someone else. Do you join me in having a lot of perfectionism and self-criticism tendencies too?
   
   When I asked Anna how this survival behavior contributes to chronic pain, she explained, “When we are perfectionists and intense self-critics, we are terrorizing ourselves all day long, and that turns on our danger alarms and sends signals of pain within us.” I did a true, honest-to-God spit-take when she said this last one, because it was so real to me that my only option was to hysterically laugh.

It’s no wonder so many of us deal with chronic pain! Look at all the coping strategies we had to develop just to try to stay safe and function in the world as survivors. Those same things can cause us pain. Thinking about all this together fills me up with a deep feeling of compassion for all of us.

HOW PAIN CAN SHOW UP DELAYED FOR US, LIKE A FUN SURPRISE FROM HELL!

A really important aspect of pain for us CSA survivors is that sometimes danger is a present-time threat, like touching a hot stove, but other times danger can be a conditioned response that reminds us of past danger or abuse. We can be going about our days and then get a headache or back pain and not know why, but it could be because we smelled or heard or saw something that subconsciously reminded us of our abuse. Anna explained that this can be a confusing part of pain, especially if we are trying to explain it to people who don’t know what it’s like to have trauma and experience triggers.

“An example I like to use is that when we get near a flame, our body automatically recoils from it because we know It’s dangerous. How do we know it’s dangerous? We aren’t consciously thinking about how fire is dangerous, so we must move our hand. We aren’t thinking about the first time we learned fire is dangerous. We may not consciously remember how and when we learned fire was dangerous, but our nervous system remembers fire is dangerous to touch, so our nervous system is recoiling our hand from the flame,” Anna said.

For some of us, we experienced chronic pain throughout our childhood. For others, we didn’t experience it until adulthood. Sometimes people ask, “Why now?!” to their pain who didn’t experience pain in their childhood.

“Often with chronic pain, we experience the pain when our bodies are safe enough to relax our survival mechanisms a bit and we determine, in a subconscious place, that it’s safe enough for us to fully feel the pain connected to the stress,” Anna explained.

WE CALL BULLSHIT ON THE NOTION THAT OUR EMOTIONS ARE “TOO BIG” TO FEEL

I’ve heard some people imply that we have chronic pain because our emotions are too big, or too hard, for our minds to process, so our bodies store them. When I asked Anna about this, she told me that every one of her trauma teachers has said that people suppress their feelings because they are too overwhelming, and that’s what leads to chronic pain.

“In my opinion, that is bullshit,” I was surprised to hear her say. “I don’t think we are unable to handle big feelings. Or that there are feelings too big for our nervous systems to handle. But rather, it’s that we can’t handle big feelings in isolation. We need companionship in order to safely process our feelings.”

We weren’t born suppressing our emotions. We learned to suppress our emotions because we learned from the people around us that we were not going to receive empathy and companionship with our feelings. Expressions of our feelings were met with silence, criticism, denial, and even punishment. Bad f — -ing things. At the same time, we learned that our physical pain would be taken seriously and met with some sympathy and support. So our bodies brilliantly channeled all our pain and emotions into the parts of us that would receive care and support when hurt. Fancy, smart moves from our bodies.

“We feel physical pain because it has a greater chance of being socially validated than emotional pain, and we stuff emotional pain down because we know we aren’t going to get empathy for it and the world around us has shown us it isn’t safe to process it,” Anna shared. Are there ways you’ve seen your physical pain garner more support and empathy than your emotional pain throughout your life?

The good news is that, as adults, we can seek out empathetic witnesses to our pain, like a trusted friend or a good therapist, who can offer us companionship that allows us to safely express our big feelings.

“Feeling our feelings without the presence of compassion makes our nervous system freak the f — – out because it feels exposed and vulnerable to potential threats. But feeling our feelings in the presence of compassion makes our nervous system feel safe,” Anna told me.

What is most important is for each of us to know we aren’t alone in our pain. “You are not crazy, and none of this is your fault. It is possible for you to find relief, and while you can never prevent all pain, it absolutely can get better,” Anna offered.

I know that was a lot of information about chronic pain and trauma! What kinds of emotions, including potentially unpleasant ones, does all of this bring up for you? However you feel, it is totally normal.

Want to read more? Grab a copy of the book, Healing Honestly: The Messy and Magnificent Path to Overcoming Self-Blame and Self-Shame!

The post Overcoming Self-Blame and Self-Shame appeared first on Medika Life.

Last weekend, I was involved in a three-car collision. I was rear-ended and pushed into the car in front of me. Due to the unexpected impact, my first response was to close my eyes and press hard on the breaks. Throughout this experience, I’ve learned that a car accident should not be your wake-up call.

Avoid Using Cellular Devices When Driving

The first step to practicing safe driving is to avoid distractions; in other words, don’t use your cell phone. I get it; it’s tempting not to check your messages or scroll on Instagram. With today’s technological advancements, vehicles have many features that make avoiding cell phones difficult. A great tip would be to place your phone in silent mode or turn off your notifications.

If you need to use your phone as a GPS, try placing it on a mount. This can assist you in keeping your eyes on the road. If there is anything urgent that you need to take care of, try pulling over to the side of the road instead of trying to multitask.

Avoid Speeding

This is the trickiest rule, not because it’s tempting but because it’s easy to do. Remember, speeding puts you at risk and endangers other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists on the road. By driving at a safe and appropriate speed, you can help keep everyone around you safe. Here are tips to slow down your speed:

1. Plan ahead: Make sure you leave enough time to get to your destination to feel free of rush or temptation to speed.
2. Leave early: If you know that you tend to speed when running late, try to leave a little earlier to give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination without feeling rushed.
3. Be mindful of your surroundings: Pay attention to the traffic flow and adjust your speed accordingly. If you’re in a congested area, slow down to avoid collisions.

Always Wear Your Seatbelt

Wearing your seatbelt is one of the essential safety measures when driving. In a crash, a seatbelt can prevent you from being ejected from the vehicle, which is among the leading cause of death. Seatbelts distribute the impact force and reduce the risk of injury or death.

A seatbelt can also help to distribute the force of the impact across your body, reducing the risk of injury or death. This is because the seatbelt spreads the force of the impact across your chest and hips, which are some of the most vital parts of your body.

In addition, wearing a seatbelt can prevent you from colliding with the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield, which can cause severe injuries to your head, face, and neck. It prevents you from being thrown out of the car in the event of a collision, one of the leading causes of fatalities in accidents.

Practice Makes Perfect

Practicing safe and defensive driving is essential for the safety of yourself, your passengers, and other road users. It only takes a split second of distraction, speeding, or not wearing a seatbelt to cause a serious accident. Safe driving should always be a top priority, and by practicing safe driving measures consistently, we can make our roads safer for everyone.

Remember, arriving at your destination safely is always more important than getting there quickly.

The post Don’t Let A Car Accident Be Your Wakeup Call appeared first on Medika Life.

👉 Do I banish a loved one who has hurt me, so that they can’t keep hurting me… but then suffer the loss of the relationship?⁠⁠

👉 Or do I keep the relationship with my loved one… but then suffer as they continue to hurt me over and over again?⁠⁠

This is a dilemma between choosing the pain of healing and grieving, or the pain of ongoing injury.⁠⁠

And you may find that there really is no third option that works for you — that choosing to heal means ending the relationship, as painful as that may be.⁠⁠

Or you may find that the path to healing that works best for you is a third option: To keep the relationship, but set a firm boundary on behaviors that injure you, physically or emotionally.

This may be very difficult, but if it’s what you truly want — and if it actually feels possible — then it might be the path that you choose.⁠⁠

Whatever your situation, needs or preference, one thing is consistently true:⁠ We cannot heal an injury when we continue to be re-injured. It just doesn’t work.⁠⁠

Whether we end the relationship or keep it, we need to put a stop to the injurious behavior if we want our nervous system to feel safe enough to heal — emotionally and physically.⁠

This is easier said than done, and it’s important to consider your own safety first when setting boundaries. Start with small, doable steps. Maybe the first step is confiding in a trusted and supportive friend. You don’t have to do this all at once. You can take one step at a time.

The post Do Your Relationships Need To Change in Order for You To Heal? appeared first on Medika Life.