1. Is the pain all in my mind?
Many people come to this question as a result of failing to find an answer as to why they have pain, or feeling disbelieved by health professionals and acquaintances. Be reassured on this point: there is no such thing as pain in the mind. Pain is either present or absent - it cannot be imagined. In many cases it might not be clear why the pain has continued for so long but that doesn’t mean it is all in the mind. We do know that pain is a very complex interaction of physical, psychological, social and emotional factors, and while people are at INPUT we work hard to help them to understand more about the cause of their particular problems.

2. Will my pain go away?
At present there is no known cure for chronic pain. It is known that many patients say that their pain does reduce during treatment at INPUT- but only a few people will find this makes a significant difference on its own.
Many people say that the pain troubles them less using INPUT methods. The challenge is to find ways to live a life in spite of the pain and this is the focus of the programme.
Continuing to practice the techniques that you learn at INPUT can make a very big difference to your day-to-day mood, your overall outlook, and your confidence in managing a more active and satisfying life despite pain.

3. Is the solution simply "positive thinking and mind over matter?"
While it is possible to ignore milder or temporary pains for a while – as people do with everyday pains – it is much harder when pain is more severe and continues. It is a common experience that the pain is less noticeable when you’re having a nice time – a visit from good friends, perhaps – but that just shows that experiencing pain is influenced by what else is going on around you.
The problem with trying to disregard pain is that is usually doesn’t go away but builds up, so that your efforts can end in feeling defeated by the pain. It can help not to see it as a battle but to think about ways of negotiating with the pain.

4. Should I give up all hope of a cure?
Although there is currently no universal cure for chronic pain, advances are continuously being made in our understanding of pain and great steps have already been taken. And who knows what the future may bring? However, in the meantime, it is more helpful to focus on working towards a meaningful, active and satisfying life rather than pursuing what is, at the moment, unlikely to be achievable.

5. Is it really ok to do things when it’s so painful? Won’t I be harming myself?
Pain becomes chronic not because there is ongoing tissue damage but because the nervous system has become overly sensitive to pain messages. Therefore the body can be healed, but still painful. Being less and less active can also cause problems such as weakness, stiffness and loss of fitness. This in itself can contribute to the amount of pain you feel. The message is simple: pain does not mean damage.

6. It sounds good in theory but will it work for me?
Everyone who comes to INPUT has pain that is ongoing and that disrupts many areas of their lives. This is true - wherever your pain is. Most people attending the programme are able to make worthwhile changes to their quality of life.

7. After this course, am I really going to be able to do more in my life even though my pain hasn’t gone away?
Yes – it is possible. In our experience and that of similar programmes in many countries, people gain skills that enable them to progress towards their personal goals. They often report that the programme has helped them to regain a more balanced, fulfilling and pleasurable life. They achieve this despite their chronic pain.