Living with Chronic Pain and Depression

This study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a course of antidepressants followed by a pain self-management program improved both depression and pain. If you haven’t yet, consult a pain specialist for a treatment plan, along with a mental health specialist for a proper evaluation and treatment for depression, Kerns said. It’s also important to communicate regularly with your providers and pay attention to changes, Thorn added. When to Proceed with Caution One of the biggest challenges of treating both pain and depression is that feelings of helplessness and hopelessness lead people to try cures that are ineffective and even damaging, according to Kerns. “Continued doctor-shopping is problematic.” Also problematic is pursuing more and more aggressive pain interventions, which he said only reinforce the “sense of helplessness and hopelessness and demoralization.” Opioid medication is another concern. According to Kerns, there’s very little evidence that opioids are helpful for chronic pain. Instead, there’s “abundant evidence of the potential harm of long-term opioid therapy.” For people with pain and depression, “who may be vulnerable to pursue these kinds of interventions,” it’s best to be cautious. Most experts “argue for very limited use of pharmacological agents and support education, encouragement and judicious use of non-opioid, over-the-counter [medication],” along with a healthy lifestyle and self-mana...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Chronic Pain Cognitive-Behavioral Depression Disorders General Healthy Living Psychotherapy Self-Help American Medical Association Chronic Pain And Depression Clinical Health Psychology Comorbidities Healthcare System Integrative Source Type: news