How Mental Health Impacts Physical Pain Jennifer Reynolds, October 23, 2023October 16, 2023 Pain is a physical sensation that alerts us when something’s wrong often pain has a direct cause such as an injury or illness. But sometimes the mind can produce pain without a physical source or make preexisting pain worse this is called psychogenic pain. How mental health influences bodily discomfort and the importance of this connection in pain and suffering calculator illinois. Stress Mental health is the ability to think, feel and behave in ways that allow you to function in your life. Mental health conditions can have a significant impact on your ability to cope with pain and recover from illness, injury or surgery. Stress can make it easier to feel pain and can increase the severity of your symptoms. Your social background, upbringing and childhood trauma can also affect how you experience pain. Your emotional state, including anxiety and depression, can play a major role in how you feel pain. Interestingly, the areas of your brain that process emotions and pain are connected and work together. These brain regions include the somatosensory cortex, amygdala and hypothalamus. People who experience anxiety or depression are more likely to have a reduced threshold for pain, and may develop a fear of movement (avoidance) which can exacerbate their physical pain. This is known as psychogenic pain. In some cases, medications that treat mental health conditions can also help reduce or control pain symptoms. Depression Many people who struggle with depression also experience physical pain, particularly gastrointestinal issues like stomach aches and nausea. This is due to the fact that depression can trigger the release of inflammatory cytokines, which cause inflammation and increase pain. Additionally, if you have a mental health issue such as depression, anxiety or PTSD that’s contributing to your chronic pain, a therapist or psychiatrist can help determine the underlying reason. For example, when psychological distress or psychogenic pain, is involved, treatments such as acceptance and commitment therapy mindfulness and acupuncture can reduce the physical symptoms and help improve mood. It’s important to note that it takes time to treat these conditions so be patient. Also, remember to keep track of emotional and physical symptoms to make sure you’re seeing improvement in both this can help prevent relapse. Anxiety Anxiety, like depression, can also trigger pain in the body. This is because when people experience anxiety, they often tighten muscles and joints without even realizing it. This causes the joints to have to work harder, leading to increased inflammation and discomfort. In some cases, people who are anxious may develop neuropathic pain. An anxious person might believe that their symptoms are being caused by something other than their health condition, which can lead them to feel invalidated or patronized. This can lead to a vicious cycle where the anxiety and depression worsen the pain, making it more difficult to treat. Fortunately, there are treatments that can help when depression or anxiety overlap with pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an established treatment for anxiety and depression, and it’s also the most well-studied psychotherapy for treating pain. Relaxation training and hypnosis can also be helpful. Additionally, there are some medications that can alleviate the physical sensations of pain while also managing underlying mental health issues. Mood Disorders While some people are hesitant to seek help for mood disorders, these conditions should be treated just as seriously as physical pain. It’s important to see a mental health professional as soon as you notice symptoms of these conditions, particularly if they disrupt your sleep or activity level and significantly impair your function. Mood disorders can include bipolar disorder (periods of elevated or manic emotions) and major depressive disorder. Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder is characterized by periods of extreme irritability, and premenstrual dysmorphic disorder involves depression and atypical sensitivity to physical sensations (like menstrual pain). Talk therapy or psychotherapy is usually the first step in diagnosing a mood disorder. Therapy helps people accept the condition, learn to recognize warning signs of a manic or depressive episode, and develop coping skills. Medications are also available to treat mood disorders, including antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Occasionally, ECT may be needed to treat severe, treatment-resistant mood disorders. Main