I have managed without medication for many years but its not easy. I had about 4 months on medication 8 years ago in a time of crisis, am about to try a new medication as I am sick of living in pain and this year has just been too hard. My father was an alcoholic so I am very wary of any kind of medication, prescription or otherwise.
In general, I make myself get up and go outside. Once I am outside, I make myself do SOMETHING... walk to the letterbox or to the shop to buy a newspaper, dig in the garden. The garden is great therapy, sometimes hours can go by and its time for lunch and I have not been in pain for all that time. Sitting in the sun in my yard with a cup of tea, watching the birds never fails to ease my mind. Walking by the sea usually works too. Yoga, if you like it, is quite pain-relieving. My dog used to really help sometimes too. Sleep helps, I am always worse when I am tired, but I have to tidy my room before I can relax enough to sleep 🙂 Reading non-challeging fiction helps, diary-writing where you look for positives and record uplifting thoughts, counselling really helps if you can find a good one. Craft helps if you can get engrossed, likewise home handyman stuff. Anything that helps you forget yourself in it for a while. All the best xx
