Pain Portrait: a way to understand individual suffering

Abstract This study aims to verify the suffering associated with chronic pain through the projective instrument "Pain Portrait”. It is a descriptive study carried out with 126 patients with chronic pain of different etiologies. Responses were analyzed according to the Bardin content analysis method and statistical tests. Patients were found: who believe that no suffering compares to their pain (34.9%); Who compare their pain to other pains or diseases already experienced (16.6%); And those who compare pain to situations of emotional distress (48.4%). This study showed that emotional aspects play an important role in how the individual will interpret and use his or her own resources to deal with their pain.