| Resources for Injured People, Workers' Compensation
Anger and chronic pain? Is there a connection?
Just stumbled upon an interesting blog post by Dr. David Hanscom who explores how anger at the workers’ comp system and anger, in general, can contribute to chronic pain.
Dr. Hanscom is an orthopedic spine surgeon and an expert in teaching people to manage their chronic pain.
The points he makes about anger and frustration impacting an injured person’s recovery and ongoing pain are quite valid. We’ve seen time and time again how being mired in the workers’ comp or Social Security Disability bureaucracy and fighting what can sometimes seem a losing battle can impact our clients’ health. That’s one of the reasons we take a “whole person” approach when dealing with clients.
Here’s an excerpt from Dr. Hanscom’s article on anger and chronic pain:
“Anger is universal. It is part of the human experience. Some argue for the necessity of anger. In any case, it is not going away any time soon. Anger does provide a useful survival mechanism. When you are threatened and feel anxiety you will take evasive or avoidance action. When that ability to escape is lost, you will become angry, which increases your body’s physical reaction and mental focus to solve the problem.
The antidote to anxiety is control.
Loss of control = anger.
The current disability system strips the worker of control. Additionally, at least in Washington State, the injured worker is at the mercy of a medically unsophisticated claims examiner. That examiner has final say in everything. As “enlightened” as I am, I cannot discuss a case with an examiner for more than a few minutes before I feel like I am losing my mind. I cannot imagine having my well being, as well as my livelihood, at the mercy of this system.
It will not matter what systems are designed to “incentivize” workers to return to work, unless this core issue of anger is addressed. You don’t have to incentivize any living creature to jump out of a cage.”
