Life impact of pain – Pain Series Part 2 of 3
Click here to see Part 1 of of this 3 part pain series.
If you suffer with chronic pain, you not only live with the unrelenting sensation of pain, but probably have trouble sleeping, you may experience anxiety, depression, and loneliness, and possibly have difficulty making decisions because pain can impact our ability to concentrate.
You are not to blame. Brain activity in people who live with chronic pain is different from those who do not. In a healthy brain, all regions are in a state of equilibrium. When one region is active, the others quiet down. In people with chronic pain, the prefrontal cortex, the location for cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning, is always active. When this region is stuck in full throttle, neurons can change their connections with other neurons making it more difficult for people to concentrate, solve problems, make decisions, or be in a good mood.
As mentioned, sleep deprivation, anxiety, and depression often accompany pain, and there are physiological reasons for all this. Areas of the brain responsible for sensory stimulation are also responsible for controlling our sleep and wake cycle. When there is overstimulation, it makes it difficult for the brain to rest.
Anxiety is also very common because reduced control over pain signals causes the brain to become extremely vigilant in anticipating future pain. We are almost always on edge, essentially living in fight or flight mode.
Reduced control over pain signals also contributes to depression due to chemical changes in the brain, as well as an exhausted feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. So, pain contributes to anxiety and depression, and anxiety and depression contributes to pain. It is a vicious cycle feeding each other, AND IS NOT YOUR FAULT. All of this is discussed in more detail in my 2 books, Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey, and my new book, Beyond Pain and Suffering: Adapting to Adversity and Life Challenges.
For pretty much anyone living with chronic pain, you know exactly what I am talking about. We not only battle physical pain on a regular basis, we battle a very significant emotional toll as well. Then for people to say things to us like, “just get over it,” or “just push through it,” or “everyone gets pain,” in no way acknowledges the complexity of our pain.
As I mentioned in my last article, “The real impact of pain that people can’t see” (click here to read it), if you live with chronic pain for any reason, I empathize with you and I hope you feel as good as you look. For people who may not understand what I mean by this, our outward appearance is never an indication for how we feel on the inside. Because we can’t see pain, most of us look much better than we feel. Please keep that in mind when someone tells are they are hurting.
Part 3 of this 3 part pain series will be out soon and discuss pain management.
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Tom Seaman is a Certified Professional Life Coach in the area of health and wellness, and the author of 2 books: Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey and Beyond Pain and Suffering: Adapting to Adversity and Life Challenges. He is also a motivational speaker, chronic pain and dystonia awareness advocate, health blogger, and member and volunteer writer for Chronic Illness Bloggers Network, The Mighty, and Patient Worthy. To learn more about Tom, get a copy of his books (also on Amazon), or schedule a free health coaching consult, visit www.tomseamancoaching.com. Follow him on Twitter @Dystoniabook1 and Instagram.
“Because we can’t see pain, most of us look much better than we feel” – TRUTH.
Thank you. That is a very powerful statement that people who are not in pain think about.