Depression hurts. Anxiety hurts. Both mood disorders are known to cause physical symptoms of tension, aches, pains, stiffness, cramps, and more. Mental health disorders like depressive and anxiety disorders are not isolated to the brain. It is widely understood today that mental health disorders affect the mind, the body, and the spirit. Taking an integrative approach to treating mood disorders is critical for effectively healing all three areas for holistic recovery.
In the Journal of Affective Disorders, Columbia University have published their new research on the relationship between chronic pain and mood disorders. Conclusively, the study found, about half of adults with mood disorders also experience chronic pain. Mood disorders can include: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and dysthymia. Over 5,000 people were analyzed in Brazil for the study. Fifty percent of individuals with a mood disorder reported chronic pain. Forty-five percent of individuals with chronic pain reported having anxiety disorders. Two or more chronic diseases in participants had a higher likelihood of having an anxiety or other mood disorder.
Chronic pain is a condition faced by thousands in America and throughout the world. One of the main arguments against the harsh regulations coming forward as a result of the opioid epidemic comes from chronic pain patients who are helped most by opioid medications. For those patients who do not abuse the drugs or develop an addiction to them, the new restrictions seem unfair and unjust. However, an increasing amount of doctors are taking a step back from opioid medication treatment for chronic pain, finding that integrative approaches using methods of holistic healing and lifestyle changes are equally as effective, even if not as immediate as, opioid medications.
The relationship of mood disorders and chronic pain can become blurry in this area. On the one hand, people with primary mood disorders can experience chronic pain as a symptom of their anxiety or depression. On the other hand, people with chronic pain can also experience mood disorders as a symptom of chronic pain- either substance-induced due to opioid medications, or as a result of living with chronic pain.
Offering an integrative approach to treating co-occurring disorders such as chronic pain and anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder, Cottonwood Tucson promotes holistic health lifestyles through clinical recovery. Our internationally acclaimed residential treatment programs provide safety and understanding, bringing clients hope through healing. For information, call us today by dialing (888) 727-0441.
