Are you one of the millions of people affected by chronic pain, or do you know someone who is? If so, you know how it can limit everyday activities while also causing strain on your professional and personal relationships. The significant impact it has on your quality of life not only affects your physical health, but your mental and emotional health as well. This is not surprising, because when you know something is wrong with your body, especially when in pain, it can wreak havoc on your thought process.
Dealing with chronic pain can be just as emotionally draining as it is physically. It is not uncommon for you to avoid social activities due to pain or even just fear of pain. If you think you may have to engage in any activity that could lead to a flare up, you may start to fear activities and social events that you once enjoyed. This fear can sometimes be debilitating and often become more worrisome than the pain itself.
Chronic pain can have a significant effect on your interpersonal relationships. In addition to foregoing social outings and activities, it can also strain relationships with family, friends and even co-workers. Oftentimes, others need to do more than their fair share of the workload because of your physical limitations. Or perhaps the burden of financially carrying the household once your pain becomes disabling puts a strain on your marriage. These circumstances can lead to feelings of guilt and stress, which in turn can worsen your pain.
Consequently, the fear, isolation, and constant dependence on others can lead to depression, which is very common for people dealing with chronic pain. Because chronic pain can cause depression and depression can make pain worse, it can quickly become a vicious cycle before you even know what hit you.
It is extremely important that if you think you are depressed, you seek professional help right away. Signs of depression can include feelings of sadness, anger and hopelessness, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, decreased appetite, and thoughts of harming yourself. Seeking professional help can break the cycle of pain and depression.
If you or someone you know is dealing with chronic pain, Dr. Ishan Gunawardene and board-certified family nurse practitioner Shariffa Gunawardene at Wellington Advanced Medical Clinic can help get to the root cause of your pain. For an appointment to discuss chronic pain treatments in Wellington, call (561) 434-1935 or request an appointment online.
Specializing in primary care and internal medicine, we will work with you to get your quality of life back. We don’t just want you to survive – we want you to thrive, physically and emotionally to enjoy life again.
