Depression

How Chronic Pain Leads to Depression

People who live with chronic pain have long been saying that the non-stop physical pain is not the only challenge in their lives, but along with the pain comes a host of other challenges, such as:  

Back Pain and Holiday Blues: 18 Tips to Reduce Your Holiday Stress

Ah yes, the holidays are upon us once again, and with them the holiday blues. Not everyone is in festive spirits, especially those of us with chronic pain. Often, chronic back pain leads to depression, and alternately depression can worsen physical pain. The added anxiety and stress of all the holiday planning and expectations can intensify feelings of sadness.

Chronic Pain = Clinical Depression

When pain becomes chronic and does not respond to pain medication and other treatments, the normal response is a combination of fear, anxiety, irritability, anger, and eventually depression. People suffering from chronic pain are four times more likely to suffer from clinical depression than healthy individuals. And the greater the pain, the more likely it is that the person will develop depression.

Question: Are You Depressed or Just Feeling Down?

Everyone feels down once in awhile, and for many of us enduring stressful times in our lives, it can truly feel overwhelming. But how do you know if you’re clinically depressed and should see a professional for help? Clinical depression goes beyond what would be considered normal sadness or feeling bleak.

Take this questionnaire and put a check next to each statement that is true for you:

___ I have a predominant mood that is depressed, sad, blue, hopeless, low, or irritable, which may include periodic crying spells

Cyber Hugs: How Online Support Groups Help with Chronic Pain
If you're dealing with chronic pain, you probably already know what a devastatingly lonely experience it can be. Even with the most supportive family and friends, you still feel alone, because they don't know – they can't know – what it's like to endure chronic pain each and every day of your life.

Pain is Inevitable. Suffering is Optional.

That sentiment, from The Dalai Lama, sums up the gist of a lot of our message board posts. Contrary to what many people think (at least from what surgeons tell me), message boards aren’t just for people hopped up on pain meds or whining. At least on our board, positive thinking is rampant – exactly the kind of support that helps people with back pain deal better and heal better…

5 Things You Should Know About Chronic Pain

Aside from the obvious problem with chronic pain - i.e. the PAIN - there are many other downsides to chronic pain that are important to know about. For those living with and enduring chronic pain, pass this along to your loved ones to help them understand and be supportive.

Nearly 60% of People With Back Pain Suffer from Depression Too

Estimates on prevalence of depression among the chronic pain population range from 18 - 32% , but we think it's much higher. Based on our survey, nearly 60% of people with back pain suffer from depression.

Unrecognized probably means undertreated. And studies show that if depression is present it needs to be treated along with the pain.

Posted by: Stephanie

Additional reading:

More Personal Freedom = Less Depression

Hat tip to KevinMD for pointing out new research about how personal freedom leads to less depression in Dutch women than in other cultures.

Posted by: Stephanie

A Long and Exhausting Path to Pain Relief

A personal, compelling account of trying to get pain relief for severe back and leg pain. Very interesting read that anyone in a similar situation will identify with.

Posted by: Stephanie