A significant breakthrough in chronic pain management has arrived, as new research reveals that learning to control emotions can bring meaningful, sustained relief to those suffering from persistent pain. A recently published clinical trial, led by a team at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and reported by Neuroscience News, found that focusing on emotional regulation—not just physical symptoms—can significantly improve quality of life for chronic pain sufferers. This development is particularly significant for countries like Thailand, where chronic pain is a widespread but often poorly addressed health concern.
For decades, treatment strategies for chronic pain have primarily focused on medication or physical interventions. In Thailand, as in many places around the world, these approaches come with limitations: medication side effects, opioid dependency risks, and access barriers to specialist care. Psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy are slowly gaining ground in Thai pain clinics and hospitals, but even these often under-emphasize the emotional turmoil that accompanies long-term pain. The new research, recently published in JAMA Network Open, signals a major shift toward a more holistic, accessible approach—one that could be directly relevant to Thailand’s diverse patient population and its healthcare infrastructure.
The core of the study revolved around a novel intervention dubbed Pain and Emotion Therapy, which was delivered entirely online. Over eight weeks of therapist-guided group video sessions, participants were taught to “deescalate negative emotions and enhance positive ones” through strategies rooted in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), all while continuing their usual medical treatment. They also received self-learning apps and written guides—a model that could readily translate to Thailand’s growing telehealth sector. Those who completed the program reported, on average, a reduction of approximately 10 points in pain intensity (on a 100-point scale) six months after the intervention, along with improvements in mood and daily functioning (Neuroscience News; JAMA Network Open Abstract).
“These are not just temporary effects,” said the lead researcher from UNSW, “but improvements that change how people live with pain.” Participants described feeling more able to manage their feelings, reduce their pain, and reclaim aspects of their day-to-day lives lost to pain’s grip. Notably, the trial demonstrated that emotion dysregulation—a person’s inability to manage negative emotional states—is a major, previously under-treated factor in chronic pain. By teaching people to better recognize and cope with these emotions, the therapy broke the cycle of worsening pain and distress.
The global burden of chronic pain is staggering: it is estimated that 30% of people worldwide, including in Thailand, live with persistent pain that lasts longer than three months (World Health Organization). Among these, mental health consequences are rampant, with up to 80% experiencing depression or anxiety, and suicide rates among chronic pain patients are two to three times higher than the general population (New Scientist). The situation in Thailand reflects these findings: research conducted by the Thai Ministry of Public Health has highlighted high rates of comorbid depression, especially among rural and elderly populations (Thailand MOPH Chronic Pain Report, 2021). Employment, family life, and even traditional community activities are disrupted, intensifying isolation and hardship.
The study recruited 89 adults with chronic pain conditions ranging from back pain to cancer pain, including individuals from remote and regional areas—a testament to the accessibility of the online approach. The research team compared participants who received the new therapy with a group who continued usual care, finding statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in both emotional regulation and pain intensity for the intervention group. The reduction in the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (a standard clinical measure) was modest but significant, with the intervention group seeing a four-to-five-point greater improvement than controls at the nine-week mark, and most gains sustained at six months. “I can bring my pain right down from an eight or nine to a four or five just by calming my mind,” reported one participant.
Expert commentary worldwide has hailed the study as a “missing piece” in chronic pain treatment, noting that while Thailand and other countries have made strides in integrating mental health into primary care, the direct training of emotional processing skills for pain patients remains rare (New Atlas). The therapy’s group-based online sessions circumvent many logistical barriers that face Thai patients, who often must travel from rural provinces to urban hospitals for specialist care.
The underlying science is compelling: chronic pain alters not just nerves and tissues but also the emotional centers of the brain. Prolonged pain disrupts circuits connecting the brain stem, cortex, and limbic system, leading to increased emotional reactivity and difficulties in expressing or coping with negative feelings. The emotional ups and downs—fear, frustration, hopelessness—then worsen the severity and persistence of pain, creating a feedback loop that pharmaceuticals alone cannot break (Devdiscourse). As one therapist involved in the study explained: “People with chronic pain become disconnected from both positive and negative emotions. Relearning how to acknowledge and process these feelings appears essential for healing.”
For Thailand, the implications are profound. With public hospitals often understaffed and rehabilitation resources limited outside major cities, a digital, therapist-guided pain therapy could reach populations for whom traditional in-person group programs are simply unavailable. Thailand’s digital health infrastructure has expanded rapidly since the Covid-19 pandemic, with the Ministry of Public Health actively promoting telemedicine and online mental health platforms (Bangkok Post). Integrating emotion-focused pain therapies into these platforms could help address both pain and mental health comorbidities, serving everyone from Bangkok office workers to elderly rice farmers in Isan.
The study’s findings resonate with traditional Thai cultural views, as well. Thai Buddhism teaches mindfulness and acceptance as a means to reduce suffering—concepts at the heart of emotion regulation and DBT. Meditation-based pain coping techniques have been practiced for centuries in Thai temples and wellness retreats; the new evidence shows how these time-honored approaches might be scientifically optimized and delivered to those in pain, regardless of location or socioeconomic status.
There are potential hurdles: adaptation of the therapy for Thai cultural nuances, ensuring online access in under-resourced areas, and training therapists in the specifics of emotion-focused pain management will all be crucial steps. Moreover, the current study, while robust for an initial trial, involved fewer than 100 participants; large-scale clinical trials across more diverse populations are needed. Researchers from UNSW and their collaborators anticipate launching a major follow-up clinical trial in 2026, which could further refine the model for broader international use (Neuroscience News).
For Thai policymakers and healthcare providers, the message is clear: to truly address the public health crisis of chronic pain, a focus on both body and mind is essential. For patients and families, the potential for online, skill-based therapy to provide lasting relief offers hope where it has long been lacking.
In conclusion, emotional regulation therapy stands as a promising new tool in the fight against chronic pain, with benefits that extend beyond symptom control to improved mood, sleep, and overall quality of life. Thai readers struggling with chronic pain—or caring for someone who is—should speak to their healthcare provider about integrating psychological therapies with their physical treatment plan. As Thailand’s telehealth sector grows, staying informed about innovative pain management options, including online emotional regulation therapy, may offer a pathway to a brighter, more comfortable future—one that honors both modern science and traditional wisdom.
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