Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of talk therapy that helps people identify and develop skills to change negative thoughts and behaviors. CBT says that individuals -- not outside situations and events -- create their own experiences, pain included. And by changing their negative thoughts and behaviors, people can change their awareness of pain and develop better coping skills, even if the actual level of pain stays the same.
The perception of pain is in your brain, so you can affect physical pain by addressing thoughts and behaviors that fuel it.
What can CBT do for you? Cognitive behavioral therapy helps provide pain relief in a few ways. First, it changes the way people view their pain. CBT can change the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to pain, improve coping strategies, and put the discomfort in a better context. You recognize that the pain interferes less with your quality of life, and therefore you can function better.