Eyecatcher For adolescents

20-year-old young woman

How old are you?

20 years.

Where did you have pain?

The main locations of pain were the whole back and head area.

What all did you try out?

At first the doctors prescribed a lot of pain medication. But the medications didn’t work after a short time, and the dose was mostly increased. At the same time I started physiotherapy, which was above all very relaxing for my back.

How did others react to your pain?

My classmates at school couldn’t deal with my pain. Since I had a lot of problems with this, I had to drop out of school. My friends also couldn’t deal with it very well, so that many of them distanced themselves from me. I got a lot of support from my family.

How did you find the time in Datteln as well as the time after the pain therapy?

The time in Datteln was super nice. The nurses, therapists and doctors are super nice there. You are taught an awful lot and you learn a lot about pain and how best to distract yourself from it. Especially the various distraction techniques helped me at home after the pain therapy, and I went home strengthened and with more self-confidence.

Did you get your pain under control?

I would say yes and no. At the present time I have pain now and then due to my very complex symptoms, but thanks to the various distraction techniques I can live a completely normal life again. But the most important thing was that I have now found friends who understand me and stand behind me in spite of my pain. The fact that my circle of friends changed so much led to me feeling better. For only with friends who understand you can you manage to get out of the vicious cycle.

What helped you?

Above all my friends helped me. But also the support of the physiotherapy helps me today. I have started to do sports again. I can only say from my experience that swimming is the best sport. But you can also arrange with your doctors to go to a fitness club without your pain worsening.

What’s happening in your life now? What have you achieved since being in Datteln?

I must say that since I was in Datteln I have achieved so much than I can’t believe it myself. Since I definitely wanted to become independent, I got my driver’s licence and can drive without problems. Furthermore, I’m now training in public service. I’m in the first year of training and it’s a lot of fun.

I can only say that all the fighting for my driver’s licence or the training program was worth it. You simply cannot give up. Even if the pain has limited me, I have achieved a lot. If I feel really well, I even manage to go to parties (that’s now the focus of youth over 16 ;-)). But what I mostly do in my free time is meet up with friends.

Don’t let the pain get you down, you also can do it!

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