Depression

Depression Guide

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

Depression is a disorder

A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years.

4 Tips to Help Cope With Chronic Pain and Depression

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:59:42 -0800

Chronic pain and depression cycle

It is not uncommon for those who suffer from chronic pain to feel stressed and depressed at times. This is no surprise, given the fact that “chronic pain” usually means pain that lasts more than three to six months. Prolonged pain appears to set up a pathway in the nervous system that sends pain signals to the brain, even in the absence of an underlying anatomical problem.

Antidepressants

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

When considering antidepressant medication, there are 3 extremely important things to remember:

Depression and Chronic Back Pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

Clinical depression and back pain

Depression is by far the most common emotion associated with chronic back pain. The type of depression that often accompanies chronic pain is referred to as major depression or clinical depression. This type of depression goes beyond what would be considered normal sadness or feeling "down for a few days". The symptoms of a major depression occur daily for at least two weeks and include at least 5 of the following (DSM-IV, 1994):

Depression can lead to chronic back pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

More Depression Info

Depression and Back Pain

Depression Guide

Stress and Back pain

Chronic Pain Overview

Depression Causes

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

There doesn't appear to be one single cause of depression. Rather, scientists attribute depression to a combination of genetic vulnerability (inheriting certain genes) and environmental factors, with possibly stresses at home, work, or school, involved in the onset of depression.

Depression Diagnosis

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

"I was the sort of person, like Tigger, you know, [who] bounded out of bed in the mornings and couldn't wait to face the day. I absolutely adored life. And all of a sudden I was thinking about how to end it. And I knew that was terribly wrong, but I didn't think in my mind 'I have an illness' — it's just not how you conceptualize depression. You say to yourself, 'Get on with it; what's wrong with you?' … I had been brought up in a world where you were totally self-reliant and you didn't give in to whims and moods. It was simply unacceptable."

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Depression Support and Resources

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

Depressive disorders make one feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. Such negative thoughts and feelings make some people feel like giving up. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and typically do not accurately reflect the actual circumstances. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. In the meantime:

Depression Symptoms

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

Depression is one of the most common and treatable of all mental illnesses. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in any six-month period, over 10 million Americans (340 million people in the world) suffer from this disease. One in four women and one in ten men can expect to develop it during their lifetime. No one is immune from depression—it occurs in people of all social classes, all countries and all cultural settings.

Depression Treatment

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

Depression can be treated and people do recover. That's an important thing to remember.

There are several types of depression treatments ranging from Antidepressants to counseling and therapy to herbal preparations. It's vital to find the right one or combination of treatments for depression that work for you.

Depression Types

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

Depressive disorders come in different forms. Four of the most common types of depressive disorders are Major Depression, Dysthymia, Adjustment

Diagnosis of Depression and Chronic Back Pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

Depression is a commonly missed diagnosis

One of the biggest problems in treating major depression for the patient with chronic back pain is missing the diagnosis. This occurs for two reasons: the chronic back pain patients often do not realize they are also suffering from a major depression, and the doctor is not looking for depression.

Getting support and help for chronic back pain sufferers - patients' advice

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

Patients share advice about getting support for chronic back pain

Educate those around you and take care of your mental health

More Depression Info

Depression and Back Pain

Depression Guide

Stress and Back pain

Chronic Pain Overview
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Herbal Remedies for Depression

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

In the past few years, much interest has risen in the use of herbs in the treatment of both depression and anxiety. St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), an herb used extensively in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in Europe, has recently aroused interest in the United States. St. John's wort, an attractive bushy, low-growing plant covered with yellow flowers in summer, has been used for centuries in many folk and herbal remedies.

How Does Stress Cause Back Pain?

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

There are a variety of theories about the causes of stress related back pain. Importantly, the overriding tenet in all of these theories is that psychological and emotional factors cause some type of physical change resulting in the back pain.

In most theories of stress related back pain, the pain cycle continues and is exacerbated as the pain leads to the patient becoming timid and anxious about daily activities. The pain cycle is characterized by:

How to beat depression when coping with pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

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.

Managing stress, depression and chronic back pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

William Deardorff, PhD

Psychotherapy for Depression

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

Many forms of psychotherapy, including some short-term (10-20 week) therapies, can help depressed individuals. "Talking" therapies help patients gain insight into and resolve their problems through verbal exchange with the therapist, sometimes combined with "homework" assignments between sessions. "Behavioral" therapists help patients learn how to obtain more satisfaction and rewards through their own actions and how to unlearn the behavioral patterns that contribute to or result from their depression.

References

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:26 -0800

American Psychiatric Association. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th Ed. Washington, DC. 1994.
Atkinson, et al. Prevalence, onset and risk of psychiatric disorders in chronic pain patients: a controlled study. Pain. 1991;45:111-121.
Bao Y, Sturm R, Croghan TW. A national study of the effect of chronic pain on the use of health care by depressed persons. Psychiatric Services. 2003;54:693-697.
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Stress Related Back Pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

Although it is generally accepted that emotional stress or psychological factors can make any back pain problem worse, the concept of “stress-related” back pain takes this idea one step further. The diagnosis of stress-related back pain assumes that psychological and emotional factors are of primary influence.

The diagnosis of stress-related back pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

More Depression Info

Depression and Back Pain

Depression Guide

Stress and Back pain

Chronic Pain Overview

Treatments for stress related back pain

spine-health — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:24:27 -0800

Just as there are a variety of theories about how stress and other emotional or psychological factors can cause back pain, there are a variety of treatment approaches. The following outlines two approaches: