The Emotional Price Of Back Pain?

Have you been in a funk, not understanding the reason for your bad moods and lack of energy? Are you isolating yourself from others because you never know how you will feel from moment to moment? Have you noticed that friends and family members have backed away from spending time with you? Is living from day-to-day becoming more and more of a burden, with no light in sight? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing a medical illness known as depression. nnChronic pain and depression are two of the most common health problems that health professionals encounter, yet only a small percentage of studies have investigated the relationship between these conditions (Currie and Wang, 2004).nnThere are key differences between chronic pain and acute pain. The nervous system processes chronic pain differently that acute or “immediate” pain. Acute pain occurs as a result of an incident or event, e.g. you fall down the steps and sprain your ankle. Chronic or “long term” pain happens over time and wears on the individual physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, often with no end in sight, causing the individual to feel more and more pessimistic. nnThe first step in changing pessimistic thought patterns and associated emotions is to understand what you are going through when experiencing a depression. The good news is you have the ability to make changes that will affect the way you feel and experience life on a day-to-day basis. Are you ready to release the depression and re-experience having fun, laughter and pleasure with your family and friends? Of course you are, so read on to begin shifting your life in an upward and more positive direction. nnWHAT IS A DEPRESSIVE DISORDER?nnA depressive disorder is an illness that involves the whole person; mind, body, spirit and emotions. It affects the way a person perceives himself as well as his perceptions of the world, resulting in pessimism, hopelessness, sadness and often times anxiety. nnCommon Myths about depression:nnDepression …n- is a personal weaknessn- reflects laziness or unwillingness to actively participate in lifen- is a diagnosis that is untreatable and incurablennThese myths are unfounded and represent the opposite of the truth about depression. nnWHAT IS THE PERSONAL IMPACT OF DEPRESSION?nnDepression…n- often causes insomnia, leading to fatigue, and agitationn- often leads to social isolationn- can lead to job dysfunction, causing financial difficultiesn- coupled with chronic back pain may cause gastrointestinal distressn- can create memory and concentration difficultiesn- can cause a lack of interest in sexual activitynnARE YOU DEPRESSED?nnIt is important to understand that depression and sadness are different. The death of a loved one, loss of a relationship, termination of a job, including retirement, will cause us to feel sad. Grief is a normal response to these situations. Individuals experiencing challenging times will often remark that he or she feels depressed. However, sadness, grief and depression are not the same. Feelings of sadness and grief will lessen with time while depression can continue for months and years, if untreated. nnDoes this seem like you?nnRead the following list and put a check mark next to each symptom that you are experiencing:nn- I am really sad most of the timen- I don’t enjoy doing the things I’ve always enjoyed doingn- I have difficulty sleeping at nightn- I often feel fatiguedn- Getting up in the morning is challenging. n- I feel better as the day goes on compared to when I first awoken- My eating habits have changed: Generally, I eat more than usual or I eat less than usualn- I have very little, if any, sexual energy n- I am very forgetful throughout the dayn- I find it hard to focus on the simple things of life. Even counting change has become challengingn- I often feel angryn- I feel anxious, and fearful with no apparent reasonn- I prefer to stay alone rather than socializen- I feel pessimistic about life in general, and am not sure I want to continue livingn- I feel disappointed in myselfn- I feel bad (physically and emotionally) most of the timen- I have thoughts about my death n- I think about how I might kill myselfnnIf you checked any of these boxes, call your doctor. nnNote: Source for list – National Institute of Mental Health/NIMH (some revisions)nnHOW IS DEPRESSION TREATED?nnMedicine: Antidepressants may take several weeks before you begin to feel better. nnTalk therapy: Talk therapy helps you to change the way you think, feel and behave to support you in feeling better. nnWHAT CAN I DO TO FEEL BETTER? nnA four step plan to enjoy life and find fulfillment is outlined in my book, Tune Into Love. nThese four steps include:nn1. Create “feel good” momentsn2. Identify your desires (desires such as “I want to feel better”)n3. Activate your intentions (intentions are strong desires coupled with strong belief that you can have what you want)n4. Release the outcomennTIPS FOR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING WHILE MOVING THROUGH A DEPRESSIONnn- Set reasonable goals for yourselfn- Set priorities; do what you cann- Break large tasks into small onesn- Take everything at your own pacen- Stay connected with others n- Take walks and exercise if acceptable to your physician.n- Shift pessimistic thinking to hopeful thoughts. nnWHERE CAN I GET HELP? nnDr. Margaret McCraw;nhttp://www.margaretmccraw.com/counseling.htmnInstitute of Vibrational Synchronicity (IVS)n877/366-9111nPhone ConsultationnnNational Mental Health Associationnhttp://www.nmha.orgn703/684-7722nInformation & ResourcesnnNational Institute of Mental Healthnhttp://www.nimh.nih.gov/n866/615-6464nInformation & ResourcesnnNational Alliance for the Mentallynhttp://www.nami.org/n800/950-6264nInformation & Resourcesnn© 2006 by Margaret McCraw, Ph.D., author of Tune Into Love