A recent study from Germany proved that hearing the words "This is going to hurt" before we get a shot triggers the pain response in our brains ― we actually feel pain before the needle even touches the skin! Researchers used functional MRI to study people's brains and found that their pain centers lit up like pinball machines when they heard words that suggested intense pain was coming. What this tells us is that words matter. When we say or listen to words conveying negative or painful thoughts or feelings, our brains immediately activate to feel that pain. In some ways, this is an amazingly human trait ― we are very empathetic creatures. But there are situations where that compassion ― even for ourselves ― might cause problems. When a person with chronic pain talks about her pain with a support group, the close relationships and understanding she finds there are certain to help her. But if during those meetings, she "shares" how she's been struggling, might she actually be reinforcing that pain in herself and others? It's certainly a valid question. Whatever the answer is, this area of research demonstrates one thing clearly: We have a tremendous ability to control our own health destinies simply by changing our internal dialogue.