by Ted Jones, PhD, CPE
Most of the people we see say they are depressed. A few have had some medical professional tell them that their depression is causing their pain. Is that possible? Can depression really cause pain? Well, in our view, your pain is not being caused by your depression. But the two are likely very much intertwined.
Chronic pain limits what you can do and what you can enjoy. You probably went to some physician in hopes of a cure for whatever is wrong. A surgery, a pill… most of our patients say “just fix it – so i can go back to regular life.” Then unfortunately, it wasn’t fixed and you were told it can’t be fixed – and then you are sent to a pain clinic. This can be very devastating to someone. Your life has been turned upside down. You likely are to working, you can’t do what you used to do, your recreational outlets are no longer possible. The person you were is gone. It is very much like your old life has died. So of course you are depressed. But our patients have a physical problem – a biological reason – they are in pain. It is not depression causing the pain. It is pain causing the depression.
Depression makes pain worse. It opens “pain gates” in your spine and increases the pain signal to your brain. So depressed people have increased pain. The more depressed you are, the more pain you have, and then you have more depression and this negative cycle just gets worse. It will take some work to break this cycle. Some of our patients tell us it takes about two years for them to even begin to take some positive steps and to begin to climb out of the depression. It is difficult and hard work to begin to accept your new life and the limits you now have.
let us help you with this struggle. We understand pain and the devastating impact it can have on you and your life. We need to help you with your depression so it is not holding back your pain treatment and not holding you back from your new life. At PCET we help both the depression (with psychology services) and with the pain (medical and rehabilitation services). Using this combined approach we can help you begin your climb out of that awful hole that depression creates.
