Your Pain Impacts Your Mood
The more scientists learn about pain, the more it appears that both physical pain and psychological pain, such as depression and anxiety, are deeply interrelated. An estimated 65 percent of people with major depressive disorder and 45 percent of people with anxiety disorders complain of chronic pain. At the same time, research suggests that chronic pain very often triggers the onset of these mental problems.
In a paper published in the January 2014 issue of the journal Pain, scientists reported the results of an analysis of seven years of health data involving 614 healthy adult participants in a long-running study. The scientists compared pain assessments of participants with the onset of first-time depressive or anxiety disorders. The results suggest that pain, and particularly pain at multiple locations, is a significant risk indicator for developing depressive and anxiety disorders.
“The association between depression, anxiety and more severe pain, greater disability and poorer outcome is very strong,” says David Borsook, MD, co-director of the Center for Pain and the Brain at MGH. “In view of the fact that about 19 percent of adults have or have had chronic pain, it’s clear that this is an important health care issue.”
“At MGH, we are working to discover more about the comorbidity of pain and mental disorders,” adds Dr. Borsook, who has researched the widespread problem of suicide in pain patients. “We are finally beginning to understand the extent of this connectivity and the importance of treating both conditions simultaneously.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Researchers at MGH’s Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine suggest spending at least 20 minutes a day meditating. Here’s how to do it:
- Find a quiet place where you can meditate without being disturbed.
- Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and slow your breathing.
- Focus on your breathing, or on a simple word or syllable uttered as you exhale.When your mind wanders, bring it gently back to your breathing or focus word.
- Be aware of sensory perceptions, but remain detached.
- After 20 minutes, open your eyes and sit quietly for a moment, letting yourself gradually return to your normal state.
Brain network
Dr. Borsook uses the metaphor of islands in a pond to describe the interrelationship of physical pain and psychological distress within the brain. In the normal brain, the islands are submerged. But when an abnormality in the psychological or physical domain occurs, the waters subside a bit and an island of disturbance appears, altering the normal processes in the brain. This view acknowledges the connectivity between different brain systems, all of which may become involved in some way in response to an abnormality.
“The link between chronic pain and psychological distress can be understood as a failure of brain networks, with systems unwinding and symptoms appearing,” he explains. “For example, a per-son in pain may suffer what is known as the reward deficiency syndrome, in which neurotransmitters associated with feeling good are diminished, and it becomes more difficult to enjoy the pleasures of life. This, in turn, can lead to the onset or progression of depression and/or anxiety.”
Other factors may also serve to link psychological and physical distress. For example, some individuals in pain may be faced with lifestyle changes, such as reduced independence and changes in personal relation-ships, that may lead to lowered self-esteem, increasing isolation, and depression. Depressed or anxious people may spend more time focusing on their own problems, which can increase awareness of pain. Sleep disturbance, a factor in both depression and chronic pain, makes matters worse.
Getting treatment
Dr. Borsook suggests that individuals experiencing chronic pain and feelings of depression or anxiety discuss their options with their primary care physician. In many cases, a referral to a pain clinic, psychiatrist, or other specialist may lead to a process that helps reduce the pain and its psychological effects.
There are also steps individuals can take on their own. These include getting regular exercise, which is strongly associated with reductions in pain and improvements in mood; using relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation, visualization, or progressive relaxation to eliminate stress and reduce pain symptoms; and practicing good sleep hygiene through strategies such maintaining a regular sleep schedule, relaxing before bedtime, avoiding caffeine and strenuous exercise late in the day, and sleeping in a comfortable, darkened environment.
Making the connection
“Currently, treatment is fragmented: Patients must go one place to address their physical pain and another place for help with their depression or anxiety,” Dr. Borsook says. “Health care providers need to improve communication between professional disciplines and increase their understanding of the pain/psychological distress connection. Then, by treating the pain, they can help alleviate the depression and anxiety, and by treating the depression and anxiety, they can help alleviate the pain.”
The post Your Pain Impacts Your Mood appeared first on University Health News.
Read Original Article: Your Pain Impacts Your Mood »
Powered by WPeMatico
