As we approach September 2025, I’m filled with a renewed sense of purpose and determination to make this Pain Awareness Month a powerful platform for change. Since 1996, I’ve lived with chronic pain, navigating a journey that has tested my resilience, reshaped my perspective, and fueled my passion for advocacy. Pain Awareness Month, observed every September, is a time to shine a spotlight on the millions of people living with chronic pain, amplify their voices, and push for better understanding, treatment, and support.
This year, I’m calling on all pain warriors, advocates, and allies to join me in gearing up for Pain Awareness Month 2025 by securing proclamations, sharing our #MyPainIsLike stories, and using the hashtags #OurPain, #PAM2025, and #iPain. I will be reflecting on the personal journeys that unite us in this fight.
My Journey Through Pain: A Story of Struggle and Strength. My life changed in 2002 when a car accident triggered a cascade of health challenges, eventually leading to a diagnosis of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Algoneurodystrophy. What began as a seemingly minor injury spiraled into unrelenting pain that felt like my body was on fire, coupled with muscle spasms, swelling, and a nervous system that seemed to betray me at every turn. I went from being a cheerleading coach and business owner to someone who could barely get out of bed. Doctors dismissed my symptoms, insurance companies denied treatments, and I felt isolated in a world that didn’t understand invisible pain.
Over the years, I’ve faced countless setbacks: misdiagnoses, ineffective treatments, and the emotional toll of living with a condition that’s often misunderstood. But I’ve also found strength I didn’t know I had. Through trial and error, I discovered treatments like ketamine infusions and neurostimulation that gave me moments of relief. I learned to advocate for myself, educate others, and build a community through the International Pain Foundation (iPain), where I’ve worked tirelessly to advance the rights and care of pain patients.
My journey hasn’t been linear. There have been days when the pain felt like a storm I couldn’t outrun, and others where I found hope in small victories—like walking without a cane or laughing with loved ones. Chronic pain has taught me resilience, empathy, and the power of community. It’s why I’m so passionate about Pain Awareness Month and why I believe our collective voices can change the narrative around chronic pain.
Gearing Up for Pain Awareness Month 2025
Pain Awareness Month, established in 2001 by the American Chronic Pain Association, is a global campaign to raise awareness about the realities of living with chronic pain and to advocate for better pain management and support. In 2025, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has set the Global Year theme as “Pain Management, Research, and Education in Low- and Middle-Income Settings,” highlighting the need for equitable access to care worldwide. This theme resonates deeply with me, as I’ve seen firsthand how disparities in healthcare access can exacerbate the challenges of chronic pain.
Here are three powerful ways we can make Pain Awareness Month 2025 impactful:
1. Securing Proclamations: Making Pain Visible
One of the most effective ways to elevate Pain Awareness Month is by securing proclamations at the national, state, county, and local levels. Proclamations are official documents issued by government offices to recognize a specific cause or time period, raising awareness and signaling to communities that chronic pain is a public health priority. In the United States alone, over 50 million adults live with chronic pain, with approximately 20 million experiencing high-impact pain that limits daily life or work. These numbers demand attention, and proclamations are a way to ensure our voices are heard. Watch our social media for the state proclamations that have been issued for 2025.
Through the International Pain Foundation, along with Veterans Voices for Fibromyalgia and the National Fibromyalgia Support Services Fund, we’ve worked to secure proclamations for Pain Awareness Month and disease-specific awareness periods. The process isn’t always easy, but it’s gratifying. In a 2015 webinar, I shared step-by-step instructions for requesting proclamations, emphasizing the importance of connecting with local officials and framing the request to highlight the broad impact of chronic pain. If you’re part of a national or statewide organization, you can request a proclamation by contacting your governor’s office, mayor, or county officials. For help with verbiage or guidance, reach out to media@internationalpain.org. Let’s work together to make 2025 a year where every state and community recognizes the importance of Pain Awareness Month.
2. Sharing Our #MyPainIsLike Stories
Chronic pain is often invisible, but our stories can make it real. This Pain Awareness Month, I’m encouraging everyone to join the #MyPainIsLike campaign, a social media initiative that invites pain warriors to describe their pain in vivid, relatable terms. Is your pain like a thousand needles piercing your skin? A vice squeezing your joints? A storm that never stops raging? By sharing these metaphors, we help others—friends, family, healthcare providers, and policymakers—understand the intensity and complexity of our experiences. My pain is like a wildfire burning through my nerves, unpredictable and all-consuming, yet invisible to those around me.
What’s your #MyPainIsLike? Post your story on social media using the hashtag #PainAwarenessMonth and tag @BarbyIngle or @InternationalPain to amplify your voice. These stories not only foster empathy but also remind us that we’re not alone. Let’s flood social media with our truths and show the world what it means to live with chronic pain.
3. Building Community and Advocating for Change
Pain Awareness Month is a time to connect with others, whether through support groups, online communities, or local events. The isolation of chronic pain can be overwhelming—studies show it can lead to loneliness, insomnia, and even changes in brain structure. Joining a support group, such as those listed on the International Pain Foundation website, can provide a valuable lifeline. It’s a chance to share coping strategies, find validation, and build a network of people who genuinely understand.
Advocacy is also critical
Whether it’s donating to organizations like the American Chronic Pain Association or the Chronic Pain Research Alliance, volunteering at a local event, or writing to your elected officials about the need for better pain management policies, every action counts. The 2025 IASP Global Year focus on low- and middle-income settings reminds us that access to quality pain care is a global issue. Let’s advocate for equitable treatment options, increased research funding, and education for healthcare providers to take chronic pain seriously.
Looking Ahead: A Call to Action
As we prepare for Pain Awareness Month 2025, I’m reminded of how far we’ve come since the first observance in 2001. Yet, there’s still so much work to do. Chronic pain science has advanced, but treatments often lag, leaving millions without adequate relief. Together, we can change that. By securing proclamations, sharing our #MyPainIsLike stories, and building community, we can break down stigma, foster empathy, and drive meaningful progress.
My journey through pain has been long and challenging, but it’s also been a source of purpose. I’ve learned that pain doesn’t define me—it’s shaped me into an advocate, a storyteller, and a warrior. This September, let’s make Pain Awareness Month 2025 a turning point. Please share your story, request a proclamation, and join me in raising our voices to say: We are not invisible.
Our pain matters.
For more resources or to get involved, visit International Pain Foundation. Let’s make 2025 a year of action, awareness, and hope. #PainAwarenessMonth #MyPainIsLike #SolvePainTogetherBarby Ingle is a best-selling author, chronic pain advocate, and president of the International Pain Foundation. Follow her journey and advocacy work at barbyingle.com
