Editorial: Pain and Relationships

Abstract

Introduction People are social beings. For the most part, at all stages of their life course, people strive to establish relationships, in order to experience social connectedness (a sense of belonging and being 'in relation' with others). Although the relationship between persistent pain and social connectedness is complex and multi-faceted (1) there is good evidence to show that poor social connectedness can amplify pain (2), increases the risk of poor mental health and lower well-being (3-5), and can result in loneliness (3, 6), emotional distress (7), and poorer cognitve function (4). Evidence suggests that psychosocial variables can moderate this negative relationship, such that positivity, resilience and happiness can lessen the experience of pain, even in the face of social isolation (8) and lessen the experience of loneliness (9). Adding to the complexity, pain not only affects the person in pain but also spreads out to affect those with whom they are in a relationship; this impact is o[en typified as being negative. Pain can impact friendship networks (10), partner relationships (11, 12), and intimacy, sexual well-being and sexual expectations in relationships (13, 14). Its impact reaches out beyond personal relationships and can affect therapeutic relationships (15). Overview of the contributions. This Research Topic brings together a collection of six papers that individually and collectively explore pain, being 'in relation', and a variety of different personal and professional relationships. Whilst in many healthcare papers the pain status of the author(s) is not revealed, in her paper Wilkinson draws attention to herself as a 'researcher-in-pain'. Considering the ubiquity of persistent pain, it is perhaps surprising that the phenomenon of 'researcher-in-pain' has not been previously foregrounded. Wilkinson proposes that 'researchers-in-pain' can connect in ways that other researchers cannot do, bringing an embodied responsiveness drawing on their lived insights of pain. This creates a sense of shared vulnerability that has the potential to accommodate 'pain-friendly' methods and generate new understandings, inspiring innovative approaches from a potential of empathy and understanding. Putting the person in pain at the centre of treatment requires professionals to closely abend to both what is and is not communicated and to reach out and create connection. In their case report Adachi et al. present how they carefully built a relationship of trust and a therapeutic relationship with Akiko, a patient with fibromyalgia, and deep-rooted negative emotions arising from adverse childhood experience. The therapeutic relationship is achieved through giving Akiko the opportunity express her feelings using non-verbal means (using drawing and being able to hold a 'towel baby').