Chronic Pain and Depression Research Note
By Reader's Digest Editors
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Chronic pain triples your risk for depression. And depression also intensifies pain—creating a vicious circle. In one British study, people who listened to recordings of negative thoughts had greater sensitivity to pain than those who weren’t subjected to all that gloom. In another, people with fibromyalgia—a chronic pain condition marked by deep muscle aches and tender, sore spots—who were also depressed had more activity in regions of the brain that process feelings of pain. These discoveries help explain why standard therapies for pain, such as pain relievers, can fail. They may mute some pain, but can’t overcome the extra sensitivity of a depressed or distressed brain.
Fast Facts:- Pain and depression are intimately linked: The two share some of the same neurotransmitters and nerve pathways in the brain.
- Up to half of all people with chronic pain feel depressed and 65% of people with depression experience ongoing pain.
- Chronic pain can make sleep difficult, raising the odds that you’ll feel irritable, stressed and depressed.
- Don’t downplay the emotional side of pain. It may seem like a side effect, but treating it can help you cope with and reduce pain levels.
- In addition to counseling and antidepressants, therapies like exercise, meditation, biofeedback and guided imagery can help, too.
Chronic Pain and Depression Linked to Gender, Age, Ethnicity | Psych Central News
psychcentral.com — “The association between chronic pain and clinical depression is well established; now, a new study shows the connection between pain and depression is strongest” View full resource at psychcentral.com
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