How to Beat Depression When Coping with Pain

June 20, 2011
By: Stephanie Burke

People with chronic back pain are four times more likely to suffer from depression as people in the general population. Theories behind why there is such a high correlation abound, but it may be partly rooted in the fact that back pain is an ‘invisible’ condition that many suffer in silence.

Depression can take many forms; symptoms can be sporadic or entrenched, and range from a funk that lessens the enjoyment of everyday activities to making those activities almost impossible. Read more about Depression and Chronic Back Pain.

If you or someone you care about suffers from back pain and seems to be losing interest in life activities, consider these tips for treating the symptoms of depression.

Light Up Your Life

The winter months can be the worst time for people who are inclined toward depression. Shorter days mean less sunshine, and in many regions the winter months are cloudy and inclement, making it harder – literally and figuratively – to see the positive side of situations. One way to circumvent Mother Nature is to ‘build your own light’ to ensure more exposure to brighter conditions.

• Use a light alarm clock to wake your body up. Several manufacturers have produced alarm clocks with gradient light attached for people who have seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The concept is simple: when the alarm goes off, a globe attached to the timer begins to get brighter and brighter, mimicking in a small way the rising of the sun. Instead of trying to climb out of bed in a dark room, you can get up to a rosy or golden glow.
• Sample the great outdoors. Sun plays an important role in physical health and spine health in that it helps the body produce Vitamin D, which is vital to calcium absorption. Calcium, of course, is imperative for strong bones. Just 10 minutes a day is all it takes. For many of us, this can be achieved by a walk around the block on a sunny day, or even just going out for a brief drive when the sun is shining. Understand your Calcium and Vitamin D requirements and how to get them.

Get Moving to Improve Mental and Physical Health

It is well documented that exercise can stave off or mitigate depression symptoms. Exercise, even moderate aerobic activity like walking for 15 or 20 minutes, alters the neurotransmitters in the brain circuits that rule emotion and stress response. The biochemicals and neurohormones released have a mild antidepressant effect. Exercise also has several other benefits:

• It improves the function of the brain's emotion-sensing network by stimulating the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve (also called the cranial nerve X) is the only nerve that starts in the brainstem, extends through the neck by the jugular vein opening, and into the abdomen. Function (or dysfunction) of the vagus nerve has been recognized as an important pathway of depression.
• Exercise has positive cognitive effects. It enhances people's perception of themselves by building a sense of personal control, and thus reduces negative thinking. What’s more, exercise keeps on working for hours after the exercise activity ends, making it especially promising for preventing depression relapses and recurrences.

For ideas on how to get started on an exercise program, read Exercise and Fitness to Help Your Back.

Talk it out and Find Strength in Numbers

Many people with chronic conditions, whether it is back pain or something else entirely, benefit from being able to share their experience with others who are in a similar situation. This is particularly true for those with back conditions that are generally not obvious to the untrained eye; other people simply do not ‘sense’ the disability the way they would with a broken leg or other visible problem. Talk therapy works, and there are several ways to find it:

• Join an on-line community forum. Spine-health.com has a robust discussion forum where people post all sorts of questions, share information and advice, and empathize and provide emotional support. If friends and family are not providing the right kind of support, pool your insights and questions in a place that is designed for that purpose.
• Find a local support group. Most spine centers, hospitals or pain management specialty offices will be able to help you find a local support group, and many host such groups. While getting together with others may not be for everyone, it is something you can do for yourself that allows you to hear from others facing the same health challenges. It’s a cliché but true: there is strength in numbers.

If you haven’t participated in Spine-health.com’s reader forum, it is just a few clicks away, so join the conversation here.

Trade the Wine Glass for a Juice Tumbler

In addition to taking action to replace feelings of depression with something more positive, stopping any destructive behaviors can also help. At the top of the list could be moderating alcohol intake. Alcohol is a depressant (after the initial buzz fades) and can interfere with a person’s motivation to exercise, socialize, ability to get restorative sleep, or engage in other activities that would have a positive effect. While a drink every now and then is fine, long-term self-medication with alcohol indicates a need for a change in tactics to counter depression. For more on nutrition and back pain, read Food for Thought: Diet and Nutrition for a Healthy Back.