Supported Self -Management

Self-management means using strategies that help you manage your pain and improve your quality of life. It gives you the knowledge and skills to handle your symptoms effectively, leading to better health and wellbeing.

Self-management doesn’t mean doing it all alone — supported self-management means working together with healthcare professionals, family, and community to find the right strategies for you.

By learning and practicing a range of self-management techniques in your daily life, you can often reduce pain levels and improve how you function each day.

Self-management begins with understanding that pain affects every part of our wellbeing. Because of this, a biopsychosocial approach is needed — one that supports your physical health, mental health, and social wellbeing.

Being empowered to self-manage means feeling confident and in control of your pain journey, knowing you have support and tools to improve your life.

Explore the buttons below to discover ways you can use this biopsychosocial approach in your own pain management plan.

Explore this page and then the buttons below to discover ways you can use this biopsychosocial approach and begin your journey of empowerment in your own pain management plan.

Physical Health
Social Health
Psychological Health

““I think you have to find your pathway yourself.”

— John 43, living with Chronic back pain

“I feel more capable of managing it now than I ever have and the improvements that I've seen since taking charge of the ownership of managing it has been huge.”

— Sarah 39, living with Chronic Migraine

“My first thing when I was diagnosed was to say, “Well, okay, how can I help myself”

— Emma 67, living with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Seeing Pain from All Sides: The Biopsychosocial Model

The biopsychosocial model helps us see how different parts of our lives — our body, our thoughts and feelings, and our social connections — all work together to affect our pain. It reminds us that managing pain isn’t just about treating the body but also about understanding how emotions and relationships play a part.

Below is a poster from key pain organisations that explains this model in detail and shows how it can help you in your pain management journey.

RESOURCES AND ORGANISATIONS THAT CAN HELP YOU LEARN TO SELF-MANAGE YOUR PAIN

  • The RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences presents a new online 10 week public course entitled ‘The Science of Health and Happiness’. Learn about diseases of lifestyle and the challenge of being healthy and happy in the modern world.