Oxford CBT / Conditions / Physical Health

Physical Health

When pain lasts for a long time, it can severely impact our quality of life, and can also affect the lives of people around us. The psychological aspect to pain can lead to various effects on our physical and mental health, including increased anxiety, depression, and stress. 

What is Chronic pain?

Acute or Chronic pain is a continuous pain that can last months or even years. This is in contrast to pain we experience through more common everyday injuries such as a sprained ankle while running or a minor cut on our finger when cooking – the pain usually lasts only for a short-term period.

Chronic pain and mental health

There is a distinguished link between physical pain and mental health. People living with chronic pain are much more likely to develop mood and anxiety disorders, they tend to be stuck in a vicious cycle of emotional distress and physical pain through experiencing pain repeatedly that affects their mood and mindset which amplifies the way they perceive pain. However, there are treatments to break this vicious cycle and regain better wellbeing.

Persistent chronic pain can make you feel depressed and hopeless, excessively worrying and feeling anxious as you ruminate over your condition which can then aggravate the pain you’re experiencing. People with chronic pain can experience fear and worries of pain flareups in public or feel too exhausted or irritable to leave the house, which can lead to isolation and develop into depression that will only make the chronic pain worse.

If chronic pain is affecting yours or a loved one’s ability to work or participate with home life, they may be experiencing feelings of low self-worth or even shame. The person with chronic pain is likely to be feeling misunderstood, rejected, or left out of activities. This combined with the discomfort of sleep problems can make it increasingly difficult to imagine a future where pain doesn’t hold you back. All of this creates psychological distress, feeding the physical pain.

A person who suffers from Chronic pain will have many of these symptoms:

What is ME/CFS?

Myalgic encephalomyelitis, also referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome or ME/CFS, is a serious long-term condition that affects various body functions. The affects can cause extreme tiredness and a range of other symptoms that have a negative impact on people carrying out their daily life activities. 

This complex neuroimmune disease can affect people of all ages including children.

A person who suffers from ME/CFS will have many of these symptoms:

What is Long Covid?

Long Covid is the condition used to describe the range of health issues people can face after being infected with the Coronavirus. Although there Is no official test to diagnose Long Covid, it is suggested that 1 in 13 adults experience Long Covid symptoms after the initial infection of Coronavirus. It is not unusual to face some residual, acute issues after recovering from the virus, however, if these symptoms are persisting after 30 days after recovery, then these are considered symptoms of Long Covid. It is unknown how long the symptoms of Long Covid can last. 

Many people report that they experience symptoms for three months after recovering from the initial infection, others have reported up to six months and it can potentially last up to nine months. As time goes on, more studies are conducted in this area and we will gradually learn more about the virus and its effects.

A person who suffers from long covid will have many of these symptoms:

The most common symptoms of Long Covid are:

Other less common symptoms are:

Treatment for Physical Health Conditions

All clinicians at Oxford CBT practice Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or are Psychologists, providing evidence-based interventions and support for Long Covid and a range of other Physical Health conditions for both young people and adults. If you would like to book an appointment you can do so on our online booking portal. If you would like more information, please visit our FAQ’s page or get in touch via our online contact form or call us on 01865 920077.

NICE guidelines recommend a course of treatment typically consists of 12–16 sessions.

Clinicians who specialize in treating Physical Health conditions

Take a self-assessment Screening

Complete screening questionnaire and we will connect you with a therapist according to your needs and requirement criteria.

Consider online therapy

Online sessions are a flexible alternative to in person sessions and have been proven to be equally as effective.

Image of a female health practitioner on a laptio, online cognitive behavioural therapy CBT cbt,

What Our Patients Have To Say

LeahLeah
15:37 01 Sep 23
Highly recommend Oxford CBT. Deepika was incredibly helpful when it came to invoices for insurance, and changing between in-person and online sessions. My weekly sessions with Ellie were always positive, she always validated my feelings and provided me with techniques to reach my therapy goals. She is brilliant, and I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for help.
Imogen GrahamImogen Graham
14:10 08 Jun 23
Can't speak highly enough of Oxford CBT. The booking/rearrangement process has been updated to be really easy, and the flexibility to be online or in-person is invaluable. I worked on my struggles with depression and anxiety with Ellen and then more extensively with Ellie and she helped me so much, even just session-to-session she's so friendly and warm and validating, I could laugh with her just as often as I could cry. When I started CBT I wasn't convinced that it would work but with the patience of Ellen and Ellie, I'm doing so much better. Thank you so much to them and to Oxford CBT.
Gemma LandersGemma Landers
14:03 20 May 22
It was very easy to book sessions. Jennifer was a great therapist, every session with her was great and really helped me. She was kind and caring and knowledgeable. All the things she gave me to help, worked, and I still use them now when I need to. CBT really helped me and I would highly recommend Oxford CBT.
James WestgateJames Westgate
11:10 27 Sep 21
Karen IsonKaren Ison
15:52 14 Sep 21
I have just completed a final phase of therapy. It has been hard work but so beneficial. The schema therapy knowledge that Tom used has given me a much better insight into how my childhood has impacted me as an adult and given me freedom from the past and the ability to move on. Tom's unfailing encouragement and empathy kept me going on the difficult journey. I would recommend to anyone.
Elizabeth RoweElizabeth Rowe
16:39 03 Mar 21
I started doing weekly CBT sessions with Ellie in September 2020 at a time when I was suffering badly from insomnia and was looking for help dealing with anxiety and racing thoughts at night. Although we never met in person but only over Zoom, I felt as though Ellie and I had some really good conversations. She's an immensely sympathetic and caring person and she also has a good sense of humour. She really tried hard to help me talk through my problems and to give me CBT-based strategies for dealing with stress. I'd recommend her to anyone.
ErikaErika
12:20 07 Jul 20
I had my therapy sessions with Adam Lacey. He is just amazing. He has empowered me to be more in touch with myself and more true to my values. He has helped me to understand the matrix through which I see the world, in order to change it accordingly to what I really believe in and to what I find more useful in this moment of my life. He has helped to develop my compassionate side both towards myself and towards others. We’ve worked together on self criticism and self confidence. I felt Adam kept adapting the sessions according to my needs, mixing up different styles and supporting me holistically. I also brought to him themes that might be less common for therapists (such as polyamory) and he has made me feel welcomed, safe and supported.Skype sessions worked perfectly fine. Adam has been able to create a connection and make me feel completely comfortable with the online sessions.
js_loader

Begin your
wellness journey

Get in touch with us and we will assess your needs and expertly pair you with the right clinician and services to get you on the path to embracing life.

Already have an idea of your condition? Take a self-assessment screening for our clinicians to further evaluate.

To help personalise content and provide a better user experience, we use cookies. By clicking on accept, you agree to allow us to place these on your device. Learn more on our privacy policy.