Some people in your life may not understand or even believe your pain is real. This can leave people with chronic pain feeling isolated and desperate for relief.
This is where support groups come in: They provide a safe place where you can find emotional support and learn about treatments and management strategies.
There are many options to choose from, with support groups existing online, in local communities, and even over the phone. This article provides information on six chronic pain support groups to help you find one that’s right for you.
Membership fee: Free, donations encouragedStructure: Online forums and resourcesDetails: Hosts support communities with subgroups for specific interests and topics and an abundance of educational articlesThings to consider: There’s no live chat, offerings are a bit basic and there is no professional support
The National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) offers support groups and a variety other resources. While memberships are available, you’ll never be required to join. Anyone can use the resources and join the communities for free.
The organization hosts support communities for anyone with chronic pain and specifically for people with fibromyalgia, including subgroups with narrower focuses, such as being newly diagnosed, current research, treatment types, symptoms, coping, and more.
The site also offers educational articles on a variety of related topics and maintains lists of local support groups to help you find one in your community. Under the resources section, you’ll find a database of chronic pain and fibromyalgia healthcare providers. While its resources are free to use, the organization encourages people to pay a small fee to help support it.
Membership fee: FreeStructure: Live video conference groups, in-person support groupsDetails: Offers support specifically for children and families, several schedules for video conferences, a pen-pal program, and retreatsThings to consider: In-person groups are only in select locations and there is no one-on-one professional support
Pain Connection offers support through several free programs, both local and over video. The website has a list of the in-person support groups it hosts around the country in Michigan, Massachusetts, Ohio, Iowa, California, and more (and many also hold video meetings). While there aren’t too many just yet, the organization offers training to anyone who’d like to start one in their area.
If you can’t make it to an in-person meeting, you can sign up for regular Pain Connection Live video conference support groups. You need to register ahead of time, but there’s no fee. Video conferences are offered at a variety of times and days to accommodate different schedules.
Additionally, Pain Connection has a program called Pediatric Pain Warriors that focuses on children and their families/caregivers. Pediatric Pain Warriors aims to “provide resources, education, support, and retreats for all affected by pediatric pain.” Currently, it connects kids with pain through a pen-pal program called PainPals. The program also includes webinars and retreats for kids with chronic pain and their families.
Membership fee: FreeStructure: Online forumsDetails: Support groups for more than 600 health ailments, easy to post and join conversations, and only members can see postsThings to consider: It’s not ideal for those who need structured support groups and it’s not specifically for people with chronic pain
The Mighty is a social media site that offers support forums for people with a wide array of health problems—more than 600, according to the site—including chronic pain and its associated conditions. If you live with several ailments (as many people with chronic pain do), you may be able to find a support group for all of them on this one site.
The Mighty’s forums are informally structured to allow you to browse conversations and join in easily. The site works to maintain a positive and supportive environment. Membership is required, but it’s free. Because only members can see your posts, you don’t have to worry about your health information being visible on the internet.
A benefit of online forums like this is that you can log on at any time. However, there’s no guarantee that other people will respond to your posts right away. If you’re looking for a structured group with set meeting times, this may not be the right format for you.
Membership fee: FreeStructure: Online forumsDetails: Easy-to-navigate support forums for 40 health conditions, there’s a mobile app, and you can give/get instant “hugs,” likes and commentsThings to consider: Some people have reported registration issues and there is no professional support
MyChronicPainTeam is part of a network called MyHealthTeams that hosts online support forums for dozens of different health conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, spondylitis, migraine, food allergies, and irritable bowel syndrome. These communities are available online and via mobile apps with a free membership.
Once you join, you can create a profile, share your story, and begin posting. Like The Mighty, it’s an unstructured forum where you can drop in and chat whenever you want.
If you have a problem with sensory overload, this site may be better for you than some of the others. The design is cleaner and simpler, with a lot of white space and no screaming colors that can be overwhelming to those with fibromyalgia and similar conditions.
Membership fee: FreeStructure: In-person and Zoom meetingsDetails: Offers structure with a 12-step program, training for people looking to start a group, and resources are availableThings to consider: It may not be appropriate for people who aren’t religious or spiritual and face-to-face meetings are only available in select locations
Chronic Pain Anonymous (CPA) offers a 12-step program for living with chronic pain. This is similar to programs for addiction, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, but the organizations are not related.
The sessions are structured to guide you through the 12 Steps. (Please note that the 12 Steps are largely based on a belief in God or a higher power, so this program may not be appropriate for people who aren’t religious or spiritual).
CPA offers face-to-face meetings in a few locations across the country, like Arizona, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and more, as well as online, Zoom-based meetings.
The organization sells a book to go along with the program, but it’s not required, and there are no membership dues or fees. CPA also offers training materials for people who’d like to start a group in their own community.
Membership fee: Free to join support groups; donation of about $25 for membership to the organizationStructure: In-person and Zoom meetings, phone supportDetails: There are a lot of resources available and it allows you to start a local groupThings to consider: Support groups are currently only in select states, there are no online forums for 24/7 support, and no professional support
The American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) hosts local support groups nationwide. It currently has communities in most states that you can find in an easy-to-use list. If there’s not one near you, you can contact them about starting an ACPA support group in your community.
Group members facilitate meetings, and they do not focus on symptoms or provide treatment of any kind. Rather, they are a means for people to share what they have learned and to encourage others to create more satisfying lives.
The ACPA website offers some resources as well, including educational information, current news related to chronic pain, information on up-to-date research, and a newsletter. You don’t need to be a member to attend support group meetings. If you want to become a member of the organization, you can do so for a donation of roughly $25 or more.
Additional reporting by Ally Hirschlag.
Do you feel isolated because of your chronic pain?Do you need more emotional support?Do you feel like no one in your life understands what you’re going through?Do you need help finding ways to cope with your pain?
If you said yes to any of those questions, a support group might be able to help.
