title: Using health psychology techniques to manage chronic physical symptoms.
abstract: Chest pain and palpitations, non-malignant pain, breathlessness and fatigue often endure despite the receipt of appropriate nursing and medical care. This is distressing for patients, impacts on their quality of life and ability to function and is associated with high healthcare usage and costs. The cognitive behavioural approach offers nurses a model to understand how people's perceptions and beliefs and their emotional, behavioural and physiological reactions are linked. Common 'thinking errors' which can exacerbate symptom severity and impact are highlighted. Understanding of this model may help nurses to help patients cope better with their symptoms by helping them to come up with alternative more helpful beliefs and practices. Many Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services offer support to people with chronic physical symptoms and nurses are encouraged to sign post patients to them.
authors.affiliation: Professor in Health and Wellbeing, College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare, University of West London.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barley
authors.affiliation: Principal Health Psychologist, Southwark Talking Therapies Service, London.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lawson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D001524:Behavioral Medicine; D058443:Catastrophization / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D059408:Pain Management / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Chronic pain; Cognitive behavioural model; Fatigue; Health psychology; Pain management