Why I left my tech job to work on chronic pain

Personal Experiences & Empathy

• Many commenters share long histories of chronic pain, fatigue, reflux, spinal injuries, autoimmune issues, EDS, fibromyalgia-like symptoms, and unexplained neurological problems.
• Common themes: years of dismissal or misdiagnosis, being told it’s “in your head,” and profound relief when a physical cause is finally found—or when symptoms improve via psychological or behavioral work.
• Several say chronic pain fundamentally changed their life priorities.

Physical vs Neuroplastic (Mind–Body) Pain

• Strong insistence from multiple people: not all chronic pain is psychological; there are hard‑to‑diagnose but very real physical disorders (autoimmune, structural, genetic, post‑infection, spinal injuries, etc.).
• Others stress that in a sizable subset of “moving,” widespread, or stress‑linked pain, neuroplastic/psychosomatic explanations (TMS, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, mind–body models) seem to fit and can be transformative.
• Several call out the danger of gaslighting patients by prematurely labeling pain “mental,” while others note patients with clear mind–body patterns often resist that framing.

Treatments & Practices Discussed

• Mind–body approaches: Pain Reprocessing Therapy, somatic tracking, mindfulness, Buddhist/insight meditation, EMDR, yoga (especially slow styles), yoga nidra, progressive muscle relaxation.
• Physical approaches: graded movement, daily short walks instead of long sessions, joint mobility work, PT after surgery, trigger point therapy, dental/neck muscle work, posture and Achilles/foot rehab.
• Pharmacological ideas: Low‑Dose Naltrexone, nerve‑modulating antidepressants, PPIs/H2 blockers for reflux, vitamin K2, tirzepatide; mixed anecdotal results.

Cannabis, CBD & Other Substances

• Highly conflicting anecdotes: for some, medical cannabis (often high‑THC full‑spectrum oil) is life‑changing and reduces pain’s intrusiveness; for others, THC worsens pain and anxiety or triggers cardiovascular symptoms; CBD often described as ineffective.
• General agreement that cannabis is not a universal or side‑effect‑free cure; individual responses vary widely.

Reflux, Gut–Brain, and Stress

• Several report reflux or visceral hypersensitivity that tracks tightly with stress, job demands, or burnout; symptoms often ease when life stress drops.
• Suggested tactics: diet changes, weight loss, inclined sleeping, specific exercises for the lower esophageal sphincter, intermittent fasting, careful use (and risks) of PPIs, and attention to histamine intolerance or comorbid EDS.
• One commenter links stress–digestive interactions to classic stress literature; another warns that popular trauma books may over‑promote low‑evidence treatments.

Healthcare System, Doctors & Trust

• Deep frustration with doctors: opioid overprescription, pharma influence, being dismissed or misdiagnosed (especially women’s pain and non‑visible conditions).
• Counterpoints: doctors were also misled by pharma; pain scales and guidelines had commercial origins; some clinicians are candid about limits of knowledge but fear showing uncertainty due to litigation and quack competition.
• Several emphasize that many physicians receive little formal training in modern pain science; finding a “good pain doctor” is often luck and persistence.

Skepticism About Substack / “Wellness” Influencers

• Multiple commenters are wary of non‑clinicians building audiences around chronic pain narratives, fearing eventual apps, courses, or paywalled products.
• Concerns include: overselling neuroplastic explanations as universal, implying superior insight vs. doctors while using “not a doctor” disclaimers, and monetization incentives that bias communication.
• The author responds that content will remain free, cites peer‑reviewed Pain Reprocessing Therapy research, and frames the series as awareness‑raising, not a simple “cure.”

Work, Stress & Tech Culture

• Many link severe chronic symptoms (pain, GERD, autoimmune flares, fasciculations, “brain zaps,” burnout) to tech and finance work: long hours, politics, misaligned roles (e.g., forced management), and constant stress.
• Several describe dramatic improvement after leaving toxic jobs, reducing hours, changing careers, or taking extended breaks—sometimes rediscovering joy in coding only when freed from corporate environments.
• Others mention age discrimination and the shock of being pushed out in their 50s, then realizing in hindsight how much stress had been harming them.

Tools, Tracking & Research Gaps

• Apps like Reflect and Bearable are recommended for tracking symptoms and running self‑experiments; one commenter links a large review of symptom‑tracking apps.
• Research links shared on circadian rhythms and pain, mind–body models, chronic pain classification, and GERD exercises.
• Overall sentiment: chronic pain is heterogeneous; matching the right mix of medical workup, psychological tools, movement, sleep, and lifestyle change is hard, individual, and still under‑researched.