Incorporating a Strengths-Based Approach to the Treatment of Fibromyalgia

The more that is known about fibromyalgia (FM), the less known about FM. FM affects no two individuals the same, and treatment modalities have different impacts on individuals (Mukhida et al., 2020). The prevalence of FM ranges from 1.3 to 8 percent of the population (Maffei, 2020); however, the prevalence could be much higher because no conclusive diagnostic tests exist. Fibromyalgia is described as the result of internalizing pain from prior instances of trauma. The body holds on to the feelings of fear when freezing, fighting, or fleeing from the source of danger (Van der Kolk, 2015). FM is a chronic disease and condition associated with widespread fatigue, pain, and tenderness in the soft tissues and muscles throughout the body (Maffei, 2020). It is worth noting that not every individual with trauma or PTSD will have FM, but a sizable group will. The bodily reaction of an individual who has FM operates in ways that sometimes cannot be explained (Van der Kolk, 2015).