title: Life of pain, life of pleasure: pain from the patients' perspective--the evolution of the PAIN exhibit.
abstract: This commentary describes a person's experience with chronic pain, how his beliefs and understanding of pain resolved, and how he developed coping mechanisms and a focus for his life after developing chronic pain. His realization of how art was the most effective way to describe his pain experience to others and the resulting development of the pain visual arts exhibit PAIN Exhibit.com are described. Guidance for clinicians form the patient perspective is provided.
authors.affiliation: Sacramento, CA, 95826, USA. mark@painexhibit.com
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008512:Medicine in the Arts; D019122:Meditation / Q000523:psychology; D033262:Narration; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D059408:Pain Management; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000523:psychology; D029181:Spirituality
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid