Mental health

The link between persistent pain and our mood

There is no doubt that living with pain increases the chances of you becoming depressed, and possibly anxious. Living with persistent pain can evoke emotions such as frustration, a sense of loss, anger, hopelessness, and depression, profoundly affecting your mental and emotional wellbeing. 

It is worth noting that 74% of people with persistent pain are NOT depressed or anxious so if you have recently been diagnosed with persistent pain please do not see depression or anxiety as an inevitable consequence.

Nonetheless, if you do have persistent pain, it is worthwhile finding ways to support and improve your mental wellbeing. Pain can affect mood and mood can equally affect pain. Stress, anxiety and low mood can make pain signals in the body worse. Pain itself is really stressful on the mind and body. It can make muscles tense and joints feel stiff and tight, cause neck and headaches, poor sleep and changes in appetite.

These pages offer the knowledge and tools to help you manage your emotional and mental wellbeing. This is not easy and often takes practice – but, importantly, it usually works.