A recent study has found that a self-awareness intervention significantly reduced levels of fibromyalgia-related pain.
The study by Hsu et al. (2010) studied 45 women who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a disorder whose symptoms include chronic full-body pain, excessive tenderness in at least 11 out of 18 “tender points”, headaches and fatigue. The study subjects were either placed into an “affective self-awareness” group or a wait-listed control group (no treatment). The treatment group and control group did not differ on demographics or medical history.
The treatment group received a one-time 90-minute consultation with a physician, and then completed weekly group sessions, two hours each, for three weeks total. The group sessions consisted of 8 to 12 participants, and the group was led by the physician.
The group session consisted of four components:
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