Tina Robinson is an expert when it comes to creating the perfect work-life balance. Overcoming many adversaries, aged 14, she suffered the tragic loss of her best friend. She consequently developed bulimia; life became unimaginable, but her strong innate resolve and passion for the subconscious mind guided Tina on the right path.
When facing chronic health challenges, whether physical, emotional, or psychological, most people want to heal and regain their vitality. Yet, healing can often feel out of reach, even with the best treatments or therapies. One lesser-known but crucial factor that can hinder healing is secondary gain, a subconscious force that may keep you stuck in illness or distress.
Secondary gain plays a significant role in why some individuals fail to recover despite their conscious efforts. This subject is less understood but may be the key to why you do not respond to treatments, even though you are "doing the work." Throughout this article, I will discuss secondary gain in more detail. By the end, I hope you will have a better understanding of it and be able to use this knowledge as you move forward in your healing journey. I will explore what secondary gain is, how it operates, the science behind it, and how recognizing it can help you overcome hidden roadblocks to recovery.
What is secondary gain?
Secondary gain refers to the hidden, often subconscious, benefits that a person receives from remaining ill or in a state of distress. Yes, benefits. I suggest you read that sentence again. These benefits may not be intentional or obvious, but they provide a type of psychological or social advantage that makes it harder for the individual to fully embrace recovery.
For example, someone experiencing chronic pain may "receive extra care and attention" from their family or may be excused from work-related stress. In these situations, the illness itself becomes a means to achieve something desirable, even if the person is not consciously aware of it.
Secondary gain can present in two main ways:
External (social) gain: Tangible benefits such as increased attention, financial support, or reduced responsibilities. For instance, an illness might free someone from work or household chores, allowing them to avoid stressful situations.
Internal (psychological) gain: This is more subtle, involving emotional or psychological rewards. The person may feel more valued or validated in their relationships due to their condition. The illness might become part of their identity, reinforcing a sense of importance or even safety.
What differentiates secondary gain from conscious manipulation, such as malingering, is that the benefits are usually unconscious. The person is not faking their illness; rather, their subconscious mind has identified hidden advantages to remaining unwell.
How secondary gain prevents healing
Healing, whether from physical ailments, trauma, or psychological distress, often involves discomfort, change, and effort. It may require facing emotions, taking on new responsibilities, or letting go of certain comforts. Secondary gain, however, can serve as an internal barrier to this process, as the subconscious mind clings to the benefits associated with illness or distress.
Below are several ways secondary gain could be blocking your healing:
Resistance to treatment
People may consciously want to recover but resist engaging fully with treatments. This can manifest in skipping therapy sessions, failing to follow through on medical advice, or not sticking to rehabilitation protocols. The person might not even realize they are self-sabotaging, but their subconscious is protecting the hidden benefits tied to the illness.
Self-sabotage
Secondary gain can lead to behaviors that undermine healing efforts. For instance, a person recovering from an injury might not push themselves in physical therapy because they subconsciously fear losing the support they’re receiving from loved ones.
Emotional blocks
Secondary gain often creates emotional barriers to healing. A person might feel anxious or depressed at the thought of losing the attention or validation that their illness provides. The illness can become intertwined with their identity, making the idea of recovery feel threatening rather than freeing.
Fear of change
Healing can involve profound change. For some, the thought of returning to a stressful job, taking on new responsibilities, or confronting unresolved trauma is so daunting that they remain stuck in illness. Secondary gain makes the current state of distress feel safer and more familiar than the uncertainty that comes with recovery.
Secondary gain has been a subject of research and discussion in both medical and psychological fields. One notable area where secondary gain has been observed is in chronic pain and disability. A study published in Pain Medicine found that individuals suffering from chronic pain often unconsciously benefit from social support and relief from work-related pressures, leading to increased difficulty in managing their pain and engaging in treatments (Pincus et al., 2018).
In another study published in Psychosomatic Medicine, researchers explored how psychological factors such as secondary gain could influence the course of physical illness. They found that patients with higher levels of secondary gain often showed worse outcomes in terms of both recovery and mental health, further highlighting the need to address these hidden psychological drivers during treatment (Vasey et al., 2020).
Beyond chronic pain, secondary gain has been linked to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. Researchers in the field of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) have noted that individuals with depressive symptoms may receive increased attention and care, which can unintentionally reinforce negative thought patterns and prevent recovery. This phenomenon has been termed "interpersonal reward" by experts in CBT and is considered an obstacle to therapeutic progress.
Sometimes, it can be hard to accept that what we are struggling with could be healed. We go through life becoming so familiar with the set-backs secondary gain cause that we slowly allow it to become our identity, and by this, we feel that we have control over the illness but you don’t, the deep-rooted secondary gain does. This makes it difficult to see that our lives could be so much fuller if we could just let it go. Secondary Gain is insidious, and it can cause so many family issues, where the family is cantered around the person with the chronic illness. I am not suggesting that all chronic illnesses are the cause of secondary gain, but what I am saying is there is plenty of evidence to support that it is present in a lot of cases.
How secondary gain can present itself?
Chronic illness and attention
Consider someone with a chronic illness who is regularly cared for by their spouse or family. They receive constant attention and empathy, and their family goes out of their way to accommodate their needs. If they were to recover, they may unconsciously fear losing this level of care, making them less inclined to fully commit to their recovery plan.
Emotional trauma
A person who has suffered emotional trauma might find that their pain becomes a source of empathy and understanding from those around them. Their suffering might give them a sense of validation and connection. While they consciously want to move forward, they may resist healing because they’re afraid of losing that empathy.
Workplace stress
An employee suffering from stress or burnout might be granted reduced workloads or fewer responsibilities. While this might bring temporary relief, it could also unintentionally reinforce their state of distress, as they associate illness with a lighter work burden.
Recognising and overcoming secondary gain
Understanding secondary gain is critical to overcoming it. It’s not easy to acknowledge that illness or distress may serve a subconscious purpose, but once identified, steps can be taken to break free from the patterns it creates.
Below are strategies for overcoming secondary gain:
Identify the gain
Recognising the subconscious benefits that come with being unwell is the first step. This may require working with a therapist or hypnotherapist who can help uncover the deeper emotional or psychological factors at play.
Find healthier alternatives
Once secondary gain is identified, it’s important to find healthier ways to meet those needs. If attention and care are desired, the person can work on building supportive relationships in ways that don’t rely on illness. If relief from work stress is a factor, they can explore job modifications that don’t involve being unwell.
Shift the mindset
Therapies such as hypnotherapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can help reframe how the mind views recovery. Rather than seeing healing as a loss, individuals can be guided to associate it with new opportunities, growth, and positive change.
Develop emotional resilience
Building emotional resilience can empower individuals to handle life’s challenges without relying on illness as a coping mechanism. Practices like mindfulness, meditation, and self-compassion can help individuals feel more capable of facing the uncertainties that come with healing.
Address fear of change
Change is a natural part of healing, and helping people develop coping mechanisms for dealing with change can reduce the resistance created by secondary gain. Encouraging small, manageable steps toward recovery can make the process feel less overwhelming.
Secondary gain is a very powerful, often overlooked factor that can prevent people from healing. By understanding how it works, recognising its hidden benefits, and addressing these benefits directly, individuals can begin to break free from patterns that keep them stuck in illness or distress. Whether through self-awareness, therapy, or supportive relationships, overcoming secondary gain can lead to deeper, more lasting healing physically, emotionally, and mentally.
The healing journey is not just about treating symptoms; it’s about understanding the subconscious forces that may be preventing recovery. When secondary gain is acknowledged and addressed, true healing becomes possible.
One of the most effective ways to address secondary gain is through hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy works by accessing the subconscious mind, where these hidden benefits and associations are stored. While traditional talk therapy often focuses on conscious thoughts and behaviours, hypnotherapy goes deeper, working directly with the part of the mind that holds these entrenched patterns. A hypnotherapist can help individuals identify the subconscious reasons behind their resistance to healing by inducing a state of focused relaxation. Through targeted suggestions and visualisation, the person can begin to reframe these associations, replacing the perceived "gains" of illness with more positive and empowering alternatives. For example, instead of associating illness with care and attention, hypnotherapy can help rewire the mind to associate healing with personal strength, growth, and new opportunities. This shift not only removes the subconscious resistance to getting better but also fosters a more proactive mindset that embraces health and well-being. Over time, this reframing can dismantle the barriers created by secondary gain, allowing for true healing to take place.
I understand how difficult it is to finally let go of old patterns, but think of what could be on the other side once you have healed, a new way of thinking, a feeling of true inner peace, opportunities appearing that will take your life on a new healthier direction and, you can let go. If you have read through the article and found that you can relate to any of it and have had enough, perhaps now is the time to get help. Please get in touch with me here to schedule some time to talk and discuss your needs. Hypnotherapy can be life-changing for so many; maybe now is the time for you.
Tina Robinson, Peak Performance Hypnotherapist & Entrepreneur
Tina Robinson is an expert when it comes to creating the perfect work-life balance. Overcoming many adversaries, aged 14 suffering the tragic loss of her best friend she consequently developed bulimia, life became unimaginable but her strong innate resolve and passion for the subconscious mind guided Tina on the right path. She has spent over 20 years as an entrepreneur working with her subconscious mind, creating the perfect balanced life. A Certified Hypnotherapist specialising in 'Peak Performance' Tina offers globally, a one of a kind service to fellow entrepreneurs, who are on a quest for harmony, using her unique method in 'Mind-Artistry'. Her mission is to transform lives from the inside out.
