Social Support and Subjective Health in Fibromyalgia: Self-Compassion as a Mediator, 2022, Brooks et al

Abstract

Individuals with fibromyalgia report lower levels of health-related quality of life (HRQL) compared to other chronically ill populations and interpersonal factors (i.e., social support) may influence risk. What is less understood is how intrapersonal factors (i.e., self-compassion) may impact the social support-HRQL linkage. We examined the association between social support and HRQL in a sample of persons with fibromyalgia and tested the potential mediating role of self-compassion. Self-identified adults in the United States with fibromyalgia (N = 508) were recruited from state, regional, and national organizations and support groups and completed an online battery of self-report questionnaires including: Multidimensional Health Profile—Psychosocial Functioning Index, Short-Form 36 Health Survey, and Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form. Individuals with greater subjective social support reported higher levels of self-compassion and, in turn, higher mental HRQL. These findings provide greater information about psychosocial constructs and HRQL and extend our understanding of self-compassion among individuals living with fibromyalgia.

Paywall, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10880-021-09832-x

 

They ask about social support, support from others, and their conclusion is that self-compassion is, uh, something. Wut?

They do realize that getting support from others is not symbolic and means actual support? Right? No, of course they don't. Somehow things are getting dumber all the time in EBM.

 

Social support in fibro: a husband and friends who stick with you when you get sick. Friends who take you on outings to places you love on a regular basis.

A doctor who expresses compassion whenever you mention your FM. He/she asks: how are you doing with your FM these days and lets you speak for 3 minutes.

Close family members who say occasionally: I am so sorry you have pain and FM has turned your life upside down. You're still the same valuable person to me, you've become a kinder, better person.

FM pain can be awfully intense, so self-compassion is mainly about not doing stuff that will induce more pain. Self-compassion means to block out social conditioning, period.

Pain brings extreme fatigue and mental confusion. Muscle use has to monitored, and extreme pacing followed. Not much fun that.