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Research suggests that anywhere from 30 to 50% of people with chronic pain also struggle with depression or anxiety.
How related are chronic pain and mental health issues? We use clinical studies to have a deeper look at this issue from a scientific outlook. However, this is not the only way to look at a problem. Directly asking people what problems they face is vitally important also. So, what did we find out?
The link between chronic pain and mental health is becoming more obvious after every clinical study that is completed. Research suggests that anywhere from 30 to 50% of people with chronic pain also struggle with depression or anxiety. It’s very easy to assume that physical pain is the sole cause, but this is far from the truth.
Chronic pain for many people is only one part of the problem. The lack of support, the emotional stress and anxiety about everyday issues become so much bigger when you are dealing with chronic pain. Sometimes the emotions and stress that is caused outside the physical pain are harder to deal with.
Social anxiety, lack of quality sleep, fatigue, financial pressure, trouble concentrating, decreased appetite, mood changes, being misunderstood and lack of hope or solutions can and will develop into mental health issues for those who suffer from a chronically painful condition.
A major issue that has been evident for several years is the strained relationship between doctors and patients. Influencers in the chronic pain community on social media frequently share common thoughts about how they feel about their doctors. A frequent theme is being prescribed with antidepressants. It works form some but not for many others. Just browsing through the user-submitted posts you can quickly gauge the frustration and lack of support.
The 10th of October is World mental health day. The focus this year is the link between mental health and suicide.
As established earlier, there is a direct link between chronic pain and mental health problems.
There is also a link between chronic pain and suicide. The doctors who undertook the clinical study mentioned that the issue might be deeper than we expected.
Again, it could be easy to assume that the constant physical pain is the link between chronic pain, mental health problems and suicide. Much of the damage is done by chronic pain interfering with how the individual wants to live their life.
Fibromyalgia, endometriosis and chronic migraines are very common conditions that can cause mental health issues. Pain, limited movement and fatigue are just some of the symptoms that can make daily life difficult and can sometimes keep people from participating in social activities.
The frustration can from being unable to meet life demands along with being alone because they are unable to participate in social activities. This creates a nursery for mental health conditions like depression.
Ways to help
Antidepressants are normally the first option as they can help with both depression and pain relief. However, within the chronic pain community, there is a division between whether they are effective. Many patients on these drugs are frequently complaining about the side effects.
Talk therapy or psychotherapy can be effective in treating mental health conditions. Talking with a certified counsellor who has worked with individuals with a chronically painful condition. Although they can help with the physical pain, they can help with how that pain affects your social life and mental health. Talk therapy is recommended alongside other therapies.
Physiotherapists can provide stretches and exercises for some types of chronic pain. The exercises and stretches can help with reducing pain and increasing mobility.
Personal methods to reduce stress have proven to be very effective. Everyone's journey is different and learning more about yourself can have wonderful outcomes in terms of happiness and living a full and fulfilling life despite having a chronically painful condition. Learning methods that reduce stress comes with trial and error.
Activities such as acupuncture, physical exercise, guided imagery, chiropractic treatment, yoga, hypnosis, aromatherapy, relaxation, herbal remedies, massage and many others.
Realizing that your life may not ever play out like you planned to be a tough pill to swallow but can also lead to depression and a host of other mental health conditions. On a more positive outlook, pain management programs could therefore possibly also serve as a preventative program for mental disorders.
We have a special device designed for chronic pain sufferers and for World Mental Health Day we have decided to give 15% OFF for the weekend. The sale ends Sunday 13th October 2019
The Ova + is a small pain relief TENS machine that packs a punch. Whilst the Ova + is not by any means a cure, chronic pain sufferers love using it for easy instant pain management. Unlike many other chronic pain solutions found scattered across Facebook groups and blogs, our claims have been clinically tested and approved.
We have a range of devices that can help manage your pain without any side effects. Having a small device that you can carry around in your bag that will relieve pain could take some pressure off the need to avoid social activities that are caused, in part, to the or fatigue or lethargic feeling from the medicine. Many chronic pain sufferers often suffer from fatigue whilst being in pain, preventing them from leaving the house in fear of a flare. That's why the Ova + people who suffer from chronic pain say " I can't imagine day to day life without it now!!". This is because the Ova + can be used for long periods while being very discreet. Perfecting your sessions with your Ova + TENS machine will take some time as you learn the best electrode placements for your body.
If you need effective, portable and affordable pain relief for painful cramps, endometriosis, Fibromyalgia, Fibroids and or pelvic inflammatory disease please click here to get your Ova + and use code: MENTALHEALTH10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase!
