The Link Between Pain and Depression

The evidence shows that chronic pain and ongoing mental health issues like chronic depression are linked. That is, if you’re struggling with depression, you may find yourself having to cope with pain. And, if you have a chronic pain condition, you could end up struggling with depression.

The mental health care experts at Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, LLC, under the leadership of Dr. Ronald P. Winfield, can help you understand the link between your pain and your depression symptoms. We treat patients from around the Merrimack Valley from our location in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts.

Here’s more on what Dr. Winfield wants his patients to understand about the connection between depression and pain problems. With our personalized treatment recommendations, you can break out of the toxic pain/depression cycle and reclaim your full quality of life.

Depression and pain: a negative cycle

For some people, depression comes first, and pain follows after. Depression can result in tension, stress, and physical discomfort. More than half of depressed patients seen by general practitioners in the United States complain of physical pain, like headaches or backaches, as well as emotional symptoms of ongoing low mood.

You can also become depressed as a result of a chronic pain condition. Living with chronic pain like that caused by arthritis or lupus puts a lot of pressure on your emotional resilience, and it’s common for emotional stability to break down after weeks and months of chronic pain. You could start to feel hopeless, or like there’s no reason to live if you have to live in pain, becoming clinically depressed.

Either way, pain and depression feed on one another, further decreasing your quality of life. In order to improve your physical condition, you may need to grapple with underlying emotional needs. And, you may be able to address depression through better physical conditioning and care.

Treatment options to end your pain/depression cycle

The experienced mental health providers at Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates have a comprehensive understanding of the connection between physical and mental or emotional pain.

We treat depression with an integrative approach that takes both your mind and body into account. Your personalized treatment plan for depression could include treatment modalities such as:

• Medication management options that can address both physical pain and mental health symptoms
• Nutritional and lifestyle changes to reduce stress on your physical and mental wellness
• Physical relaxation techniques like meditation and hypnosis
• Physical therapy exercises to stretch and support your body and your mind
• Therapy approaches like cognitive and behavioral therapies to address underlying mental habits and fears
• Psychotherapy, putting you back in control of your story and your future, that can help you contextualize your experiences of depression and pain

The Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates team is also the only practice in the Merrimack Valley area to offer transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment with the CloudTMS™ system. This treatment option uses magnetic pulses to activate your brain, stimulating areas where mood regulation takes place. Over time, TMS treatment can transform your brain activity and your mental health.

To learn more about all the ways Dr. Winfield and his team can address your symptoms of physical pain and chronic depression, get in touch with Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, LLC, today. Request your appointment online, or call our office now to book.