Scientists have found that learning to regulate negative emotions like anxiety can play a crucial role in easing chronic pain, breaking the cycle of debilitating suffering.
Chronic pain is a complex and debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
Chronic pain is a long-term condition characterized by persistent and severe pain that lasts for more than three months.
It affects millions of people worldwide, causing significant distress and disability.
The exact cause of chronic pain is often unknown, but it can be triggered by various factors such as injury, infection, or underlying medical conditions like diabetes or arthritis.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), chronic pain affects up to 20% of adults globally.
Effective management of chronic pain requires a multidisciplinary approach, including medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications.
While there are various treatments available, scientists have found that learning to regulate negative emotions like anxiety can play a crucial role in easing chronic pain.
Chronic pain and anxiety often co-occur, with studies suggesting that up to 60% of individuals living with chronic pain also experience anxiety.
This complex relationship is thought to be bidirectional, where chronic pain can contribute to the development or exacerbation of anxiety, and vice versa.
Research has identified key factors, including inflammation, sleep disturbances, and emotional processing, that may underlie this connection.
The Emotional Aspect of Chronic Pain
According to Nell Norman-Nott, a researcher at the University of New South Wales, Australia, chronic pain is more than just a physical sensation. It’s a deeply emotional experience that can lead to increased levels of anxiety and depression in up to 80% of people with chronic pain. This creates a vicious cycle where pre-existing pain amplifies negative emotions, which in turn worsen pain.
A New Approach to Therapy
To break this cycle, Norman-Nott and her colleagues developed a programme based on dialectical behavioural therapy, a form of cognitive behavioural therapy adapted for individuals who experience strong emotions. The programme focused on mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. Eighty-nine people with chronic pain were randomised to receive either the programme or continue with their existing treatment.
Improved Outcomes
The results showed that those in the therapy group experienced an improvement in emotional regulation of about 5 points more than those in the control group, after just nine weeks. The intensity of their pain also started to lessen at week 9, and by 21 weeks, they experienced significantly less pain compared to those in the control group.
Emotional regulation is the ability to manage and modulate emotional responses to various situations.
It involves recognizing, understanding, and controlling emotions to achieve a desired outcome.
Effective emotional regulation enables individuals to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
Research suggests that emotional regulation skills are linked to improved mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.
According to the American Psychological Association, people with strong emotional regulation skills tend to experience reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.
Potential Benefits
The mechanism behind this therapy is still unclear, but experts believe that better emotional regulation can lead to improved overall well-being, reduced suffering, and less functional impairment. This approach could be particularly beneficial for individuals with limited access to in-person care, as it offers a convenient and accessible alternative.
- newscientist.com | Chronic pain could be eased by learning to regulate negative emotions
