Chronic Pain Can Impact Mental Health

79 percent of people with chronic pain screened positive for a mental health condition. There are many ways in which chronic pain has been shown to have an effect on a person’s mental health:

• Living with chronic pain is physically and emotionally stressful
• Chronic pain can impact self-esteem
• Pain may cause lifestyle changes that affect overall mood
• Pain can be isolating
• Chronic pain can be easy to catastrophize
• Physical and emotional pain are connected in the brain
• Certain chronic conditions have been linked to mental health conditions

What You Can Do

Just as there are regular practices and behaviors that support better pain management outcomes and overall wellness, there are things you can do every day to care for your mental health, which in turn will support your pain management goals.

Seek Treatment

Seeking treatment for your mental health is essential and may also help you manage your chronic pain. Therapy and medications that help manage mental health disorders can help patients develop coping strategies, manage conditions that may exacerbate pain, and receive support from an additional provider.

Find Support

Support groups can help people with chronic pain manage isolation, find people who can relate to them, and maintain social connection. You can find resources for support groups through NAMI or Mental Health Minnesota.

Celebrate Accomplishments

Every small step towards your goals deserves recognition. Even setting and accomplishing small daily goals can lead to greater outcomes. As you continue on your journey with chronic pain, don’t trivialize any accomplishment.

Practice Self Care

It can be easy at times to negate our needs, especially when we are in pain. Try to find ways to make sure you are following some best practice exercises including getting adequate sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Not only can these holistic techniques improve pain, but these also contribute to overall mental wellness.

Reframe Negative Thoughts

Chronic pain can perpetuate a cycle of negative, distorted thinking. When you find yourself thinking negatively, try to pause, evaluate your thought and where it is coming from, and reframe how you are thinking to stop a negative cycle of thinking and give yourself more grace and compassion. Remember that it takes time and consistent effort to break a cycle of negative thinking.