Chronic pains and depressions go together: A new study on well-being

Nearly 1 in 20 adults in the United States face a tough combination of chronic pain along with anxiety or depression, which limits their daily life.

This is a big deal because it shows that millions of adults might be dealing with symptoms that affect their ability to work, do regular tasks, and socialize.

A new study shows that it might be even more significant than we used to think.

Researching pain

The study is one of the few to look at how common chronic pain is when linked with anxiety or depression symptoms in people across the country.

It's important because it highlights the connection between mental health and chronic pain, which is often overlooked.

The study found that around 12 million people, which is about 4.9% of adults in the US, experience both chronic pain and anxiety or depression symptoms.

People with chronic pain were about five times more likely to have anxiety or depression symptoms compared to those without chronic pain.

In fact, most adults in the U.S. who have ongoing anxiety or depression also have chronic pain.

These co-occurring symptoms negatively impacted daily activities more than each condition on its own.

Almost 70% of adults with both conditions had trouble at work, over 55% had difficulty participating in social activities, and nearly 44% had problems doing errands by themselves.

Why it's important

The findings are quite significant, and the study shows that it's challenging for people dealing with both chronic pain and anxiety or depression to achieve good health outcomes.

This research opens the door for exploring new ways to treat chronic pain, which is an ongoing goal in the field of medicine.
 

• Related news:
• research
• pain
• depression
• 13 October 2023

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