Sophrology and fibromyalgia: Words of Sophrologists

The fibromyalgia still poorly understood and misunderstood affects around 2 million people in France. Recognized since 1992 by the World Health Organization, it is a syndrome characterized by diffuse pain throughout the body, mainly muscle pain related to great fatigue, disabling and exhausting which Often prevent the person from performing daily tasks and living a normal life and which cause many work stoppages. Although these pains are real and very painful, doctors cannot detect lesions on exams and we do not yet know exactly the exact cause of this disease (nervous system abnormality, hormonal disturbances, genetic factors, etc.), has long believed that it was a psychosomatic disease, which adds to the anxiety of patients and often creates a depressive state because the patient does not feel listened to and heard in his pain. These chronic and persistent pains are resistant to treatment and to date there is no precise solution but rather multidisciplinary management in which sophrology finds its place. a little etymology, “fibro” which means fibrosis, “myo” which means muscles and “sore” which means pain.

By bringing the patient to listen to his body through relaxation, dynamic relaxation, work on breathing and pain, sophrology provides effective help in the management of fibromyalgia. The interest is to reach another level of consciousness with regard to pain, to develop transformative capacities, to no longer suffer this pain by being powerless but to be able to manage it better, to listen to it differently, to feel it coming. Sophrology does not replace medical treatment but supplements it.

In addition to dynamic relaxation which will aim to get back to listening to the body and sensations, we will use specific techniques to:

  • Divert attention from pain, such as sophro presence of the positive by diverting the visualization of a pleasant situation which provides positive sensations, the attention of the patient often fixed on his pain and preventing it from settling down
  • Reduce the painful sensation by focusing and reification. This technique allows the person to dissociate from the pain and reduce its intensity.
  • The aceophro displacement of the negative, which helps to remove unnecessary tension;
  • The sophro serial substitutions which can replace pain with another sensation,
  • Visualization techniques with sophro future projection, visualizing healthy and fit, it activates the self-healing mechanism of the human body.
  • The aceophro vital activation helps to make all muscles and organs more present in consciousness and to strengthen their biological structure

We will also work on relaxation, noting the beneficial effects of relaxation on the body, decreased heart rate, better oxygenation, decreased blood pressure, better self-perception, better digestion and improved sleep.

We will note unexpected and impressive effects of this support. Jean Marc, 48 years old: ” Affected by fibromyalgia, I could not tolerate the medical treatments of muscle relaxants and I found in sophrology a very effective solution, it reduces my pain, I feel the cramps which are less frequent.”

Sophrology also provides listening to the patient who feels heard.

Author: Valérie ROBERT, Sophrologue.

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