What is the Connection between Chronic Pain and Mental Health? Chronic pain and mental health are connected in a variety of ways. While it has long been known that anxiety can create muscle tension, studies have also shown a significant association between anxiety, depression, trauma and even everyday life stress with the development of various types of chronic pain. Anxiety about pain in particular is connected with an increased sensitivity to pain, and is considered to be an important factor in something called “central sensitization,” a neurological process involved in turning acute pain into chronic pain.
The Benefits
The good news is that recent studies have shown that in many cases, chronic pain can be cured or significantly reduced by simple psychological techniques and lifestyle changes that create real changes in the brain! The content of the Mayv Foundation Course is based both on these exciting new studies, as well as our own experience treating hundreds of chronic pain patients. We bring these interventions to you for free, with the intention that you will be able to experience improvements like:
– Alleviated physical and emotional pain
– Aid the acceptance of condition and symptoms
– Improved sleep and reduce fatigue
– Increased energy
– Improved mood and reduce irritability
– Encouraged participation in social activities
– Improved concentration
The Science
The biological and neurological links between chronic pain and mental health cannot be overstated. Researchers have found that those with chronic pain are four times more likely to have depression or anxiety than those who are pain-free, and 85% of patients with chronic pain are affected by severe depression. Other studies have shown that the presence of some mental health conditions or life stressors is also associated with an increased susceptibility to developing chronic pain later on.
The occurrence of distressed nervous systems being the root cause of pain is likely more common than you think, since two landmark studies published in 2021 saw roughly two thirds of chronic back pain sufferers recover completely following psychological interventions alone. These interventions have been adapted into the Mayv Foundation Course in this program.
