7 Books for People Living with Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is complex and incredibly common. According to the International Association for the Study of Pain’s definition of pain, pain is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.” Also according to the International Association for the Study of Pain, “the biopsychosocial model of pain suggests that pain is a multi-dimension, dynamic interaction among physiological, psychological and social factors that reciprocally influence one another.”
In a 2020 Cochrane review on chronic non-cancer pain, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) had the largest evidence base and was compared to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and behavioral therapy (BT). The review found CBT resulted in small or very small beneficial effects for reducing pain, disability, and distress in chronic pain. According to the review, evidence for the benefits or lack of benefits of BT and ACT is moderate to low quality and other therapeutic approaches where not studied.
Before offering book recommendations for chronic pain, I want to acknowledge the complexity and nuance of chronic pain. Below, I’ve included some general book recommendations that people who live with chronic pain have found helpful, ranging from CBT to ACT to general mindfulness. In a different blog post, I’ve offered resources for those living in a subset of chronic pain now referred to by a variety of overlapping terms, including neuroplastic chronic pain, nociplastic pain, or central sensitization.
The Pain Management Workbook: Powerful CBT and Mindfulness Skills to Take Control of Pain and Reclaim Your Life Paperback by Rachel Zoffness
Dr. Zoffness specializes in treating chronic pain. In addition to her many wonderful podcast episodes, her book is an approachable guide to chronic pain. Dr. Zoffness distills evidence-based CBT practices within a biopsychosocial framing. I like how her workbook combines CBT, mindfulness, and neuroscience, especially with a focus on working with the pain dial, creating a pain plan, and breaking the pain cycle. She also has a workbook for teens titled The Chronic Pain and Illness Workbook for Teens: CBT and Mindfulness-Based Practices to Turn the Volume Down on Pain.
Outsmart Your Pain: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion to Help You Leave Chronic Pain Behind by Christiane Wolf.
I attended a workshop with Dr. Wolf a couple of years ago and found her approach to be warm, compassionate, and helpful. In this book, Dr. Wolf provides guided meditations and self compassion practices to work with pain.
Living Beyond Your Pain: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to Ease Chronic Pain by JoAnne Dahl and Tobias Lundgren
This book was published almost twenty years ago. The book focuses on an ACT approach to pain, which includes an emphasis on accepting and learning to live with pain.
How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers by Toni Bernhard
In this book, author Toni Bernhard shares her experiences living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Drawing from her Buddhist practice, Bernhard discusses how she finds equanimity, compassion, and joy.
Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness Paperback by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Dr. Kabat-Zinn is known as the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), an 8-week program initially designed to help those living with chronic pain and treatment-resistant depression. I like this book for its focus on mind-body approaches and stress reduction. He also has another book titled Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief: Practices to Reclaim Your Body and Your Life.
Mindfulness as Medicine: A Story of Healing Body and Spirit by Sister Dang Ngheim
Sister Dang Ngheim, of the Plum Village tradition, was originally trained as a medical doctor before she became a nun. She has several books, but I like this one because she shares about her personal experiences with chronic illness and how mindfulness can function as a form of healing. I also like her book Flowers in the Dark: Reclaiming your Power to Heal from Trauma with Mindfulness because of the trauma-sensitive approach she takes to meditation.
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
This book may be my most recommended book to those I work with. Written with warmth, kindness, and clarity, Tara Brach focuses on our innate goodness and the power of acceptance. I also like her newer book Trusting the Good, which comes with beautiful illustrations.
