Are you aware of the connection between physical pain and depression? It’s important to understand the link, and how it affects your body and mind. This understanding can help you with treatment and therapy.

Learn More About This Dilemma

Understand the cycle

Health experts share that depression and pain appear to share a cycle. This cycle makes it difficult to see where one issue starts and ends. There is an overlap between depression and pain, so it’s hard to tell them apart. 

• As your depression gets worse or better, your physical pain responds and may get worse or better in sync. The two are interlinked in a complex way that makes it harder to treat.
  
• Pain can also make depression more difficult. If you’re not able to work or do the activities you enjoy because of physical pain, you suffer and feel isolated. This can increase depression and feelings of worthlessness.

Consider inflammation

Recent research points to the role of inflammation in both depression and pain. More inflammation is likely to make depression worse. Likewise, if you have high levels of inflammation in your body, you’re more likely to have higher levels of pain.

Fighting Back Against Depression and Pain

If you’re battling both of them, using these strategies may alleviate your symptoms:

Seek help for your depression

You may benefit from therapy or hypnotherapy specifically designed to manage depression. 

Get help for your physical pain

You may have to make multiple doctors’ appointments to get to the root cause of the pain. But you want to ensure that whatever is causing your physical pain is also being treated in the best ways you have available.

Stay active

It’s easy to allow depression and pain to take over your world and hide. However, it’s crucial that you exercise and stay involved. 

Lean on your support network

Whether it’s your friends, family, or coworkers, you need people in your life who understand you and can help you during a time of need. 

Find something that you love. Experts point out that pursuing a hobby or activity that you enjoy can help bring you out of the cycle of depression and pain.

• Find something that brings you joy on a daily basis. This can range from cooking your favorite meals to dancing at a popular club. You can also find joy in smaller activities such as talking to a friend, reading a book, or journaling.

• The key is to focus on positive activities that uplift you and help you forget the pain.

Learn to speak positively to yourself. Positive self-talk and self-hypnosis have been shown to reduce both depression and pain. 

• Many athletes can talk through the pain to finish a competition. Many celebrities use positive self-talk and self-hypnosis to get out of depression. You, too, can use this technique to help manage yours.

• It’s important to focus on positive aspects of your life and personality, so you don’t feel guilt or shame. Avoid berating yourself over mistakes. Shift your focus away from negative ideas, habits, or suggestions. Learn to silence your inner critic with hypnosis.
  
• The more you practice positive self-talk, the better you get at it, and the greater influence you’ll have on your results.

Depression and physical pain are linked together. It’s not easy to see where one starts and the other ends. Nevertheless, you can take action to alleviate both of them. Try these techniques to make a positive difference in your life.

If you are overwhelmed by either pain or depression, or a combination of both, find out how hypnotherapy can effectively help to alleviate your symptoms.