Low Mood and Negative Thoughts Amplify Pain in The Brain

"Pain and mood have a complicated relationship. Numerous studies show that low mood intensifies the experience of pain. Likewise, pain disorders develop more commonly in people with a history of depression, trauma, or overwhelming stress. This is because the brain processes pain as both a physical and emotional experience; multiple regions in the brain communicate to determine the pain level you feel."

"A study using functional brain MR I looked at this relationship. The authors investigated what happens in the brain when a pain stimulus is associated with a regular mood versus a low mood. They found that in a low mood state, the brain produces more negative thoughts and catastrophic, worst-case scenario thoughts. A sad mood not only increased the frequency of negative thoughts, it increased the severity of the pain!"

"Therapies to reduce negative thinking reduce suffering from pain. Mindfulness practice and reducing cognitive distortions bring negative thinking patterns to your awareness. Pain and mood have a complicated relationship. Numerous studies show that low mood intensifies the experience of pain. Likewise, pain disorders develop more commonly in people with a history of depression, trauma, or overwhelming stress. This is because the brain processes pain as both a physical and emotional experience; multiple regions in the brain communicate to determine the pain level you feel."

Low mood and negative thinking increase the perceived intensity of pain by engaging both sensory and emotional brain regions. Functional brain MRI shows stronger signals in pain sensory areas and emotional processing centers when mood is low, alongside reduced activity in brain regions that normally dampen pain. Negative thoughts become more frequent and catastrophic in a sad mood, which amplifies pain severity. Therapies that reduce negative thinking, such as mindfulness and cognitive restructuring, help bring unhelpful thought patterns to awareness and can decrease suffering from chronic pain.

Read at Psychology Today