Accepting pain is the best way to tolerate it, a recent study finds. Compared with three other psychological techniques, accepting pain increases pain tolerance.
The two other techniques tested were distraction and cognitive restructuring.The study’s authors write that “…acceptance is intended to disrupt the link between thoughts and behaviors such that participants are willing to tolerate painful stimulation for longer periods of time (with negative thoughts and feelings).”
Distraction, meanwhile, works by refocusing attention: “Distraction aims to shift the attentional focus away from painful stimulation and thereby to lessen pain intensity.
Some studies indicate that strategies such as distraction or suppression are more effective at reducing pain intensity relative to an acceptance strategy.
Cognitive restructuring — a technique that involves changing how people think about their pain — was not found to be particularly effective.
Source material from Psyblog