Mental Health Conditions | Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain

Mental health and chronic pain are deeply connected. When you’re in pain, it’s harder to sleep, focus, or stay hopeful. When you’re anxious or down, pain often feels worse. It’s a frustrating cycle that can make you feel stuck.

The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with a licensed mental health professional for advice specific to your situation.

What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain is the most common reason adults seek medical care, and can be associated with decreased quality of life, opioid misuse, increased anxiety and depression, and unmet mental health needs.

If you have ever found yourself asking:

• How do I keep going when my body hurts every day?
• Will anyone ever understand what I’m going through?.
• Why does no one believe how much I hurt?
• Is there more to life than just managing pain every day?

Then chronic pain may be impacting your mental health.

What are the signs someone may be experiencing chronic pain?

Living with chronic pain isn’t just a physical experience, it impacts your whole life. Pain can be isolating, exhausting, and relentless, often making simple things like getting dressed or making dinner feel overwhelming. The constant discomfort can lead to anxiety about flare-ups, grief over the life you used to have, and depression from feeling like your body has turned against you.

Chronic pain can be especially challenging since it is often invisible. You may have experienced people minimizing your pain or believing it doesn’t exist at all.

What are effective ways to treat the mental health impact of chronic pain?

Managing chronic pain is about more than just treating the body—it’s also about finding ways to support the mind and emotions, so life can feel a little more livable again.

We’ll explore mind-body strategies to manage your pain and the emotional stress it creates including:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Supports psychological flexibility and reduces struggle against pain.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps you identify and reframe unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that worsen the pain experience.
• Mindfulness: Shown to reduce pain intensity, improve mood, and increase function.
• Multidisciplinary or Integrative Approaches: Best outcomes often occur when therapy is part of a team-based approach with your medical providers.