Chronic Pain and Mental Health

Key takeaways

• Quiet Agony: Chronic Pain & Mental Health

• Learning to Live with Chronic Pain

• Pain is a Teacher

Quiet Agony: Chronic Pain & Mental Health

Remember some physical pain you have had in the past. Hitting your funny bone, a sprain, headache, stomachache, or even a broken bone. There might have been some initial intense pain; choice swear words, a certain amount of time to heal, possibly some accommodation as a bandage, sling, limited driving, food restrictions, or movement restrictions etc. Except for the obvious bandage etc, there is no clear visual that you have been hurt. You recover from that experience, and your life resumes.

Imagine this. Now imagine that the previous pain experience doesn’t lessen or go away, but lasts for weeks, maybe months, or longer. Consider how the length of time would add to the experience and how it would impact your life. There might be some discomfort, some difficulty in completing things you could normally do easily. There might be certain activities you are not able to do at all for some time. You might have to alter your physical or social activity.

According to the 2012 Survey National Health Interview Survey , 25.3 million adults in the United States have suffered some from pain that lasted over three months. The study found that 17.6 percent of American adults suffer from severe levels of pain. That translates to millions of adults who are dealing with chronic pain.

Learning to Live with Chronic Pain

I joined the ranks of those who have had joint replacement, two hips in fact, over two years ago. I developed arthritis in both hips after a horseback riding fall in 2010. My friends and family noticed a change in my mood, locomotion, concentration and energy long before I was ready to concede I needed surgery.

The International Association for the Study of Pain defines it as an “unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage”. Pain can be either acute or chronic and is a subjective experience for each of us.

Chronic pain can cause impairments in daily functioning, social life and family life. It is often accompanied by depression and can change the way your brain and body functions.

Because of the subjective quality to pain, I was in denial about the level of discomfort I was experiencing. I don’t remember exactly when I started walking less, when I started having less patience, more bouts of tearfulness, less of an appetite and poorer sleep quality. I don’t remember when I started having less interest in reading, cooking and spending time with friends and family.

Pain is a Teacher

Pain i s a teacher. It reminds us of our limitations, our frailty and our vulnerability. I have been increasingly disabled by arthritis in my right hip. This was likely generated by a riding fall I had 3 years ago. I have or had considered myself active , healthy and pretty resilient. The pain has become increasingly worse over the past year and I have found my world limited by my pain, stiffness and growing inability to do the things i value i.e. work out, walk my dog, dance and take care of myself.

Pain teaches us to live in the moment for the moment is the only thing that we have control over. I plan my next move mindfully and spontaneity is (temporarily) a thing of the past. I am slower and things take longer to accomplish. I use every mindful skill I have for that is a way I can manage. I am more anxious and my moods are not great.

Pain teaches us that sometimes the world would rather not see someone in pain. We slow the line down, We are the ones who have to take extra time to gather our purse, our change, our cane and our wits. We are the elder senior citizens who are now almost invisible.

When to reach out

If symptoms are affecting relationships, work, school, sleep, or daily routines, professional support can help you sort through what is happening and choose a realistic next step.

MHCS provides therapy and mental health support for individuals, couples, families, teens, and adults.