C Health hronic pain, whatever the specific condition or root cause, is almost always accompanied by emotional disorders. Clinical studies indicate that more than 40 per cent of pain patients also experience clinically significant anxiety or depression. Flipped the other way around, patients with depression have been found to report longer-lasting and more severe pain experiences than non-depressed patients. In answer to the question do emotions influence pain?, the short answer, agreed by most experts, is: definitely, yes. Postdoctoral researcher, Dr Roger Negrete, has been researching pain for 15 years. Hes one such expert who believes emotion and pain are inextricably linked. Chronic pain is always a combination of physical and psychosocial factors, he explains. The International Association for the Study of Pain recently redefined pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience that can resemble a physical injury. This may even include the concept of emotional pain causing physical pain, as well as the other way around. Its thought that emotions may influence pain by controlling certain areas of the Science has shown that socially engaged people feel pain less intensely brain, which can increase or decrease the pain experience, says Dr Negrete. This, in part, informs how and why coping strategies that provide an appropriate level of distraction, such as puzzles, swimming, games and reading, can be so effective in relieving pain, even if only temporarily. Research from John Hopkins University found that focusing on a task can create distraction analgesia, which, in its trials, decreased pain in 90 per cent of patients by 20 to 50 per cent. Incredibly, theres some evidence to suggest that the body struggles to differentiate between physical and emotional pain. This was demonstrated uniquely in a study that showed emotional pain could be reduced by taking paracetamol. Seasonal pain In winter, were faced with a much higher risk of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and possibly increased levels of pain as the cold creeps in. Even Christmas can be emotionally and physically taxing if youre worrying about your arthritis, and youre aware of some unavoidable limitations surrounding traditions, such as cooking and playing games. With these things in mind, its more important than ever to consider ways to keep your emotional state uplifted. Therapist Vic Paterson (fantasticday. coach) suggests getting outside, moving your body and socialising to beat the winter blues. Winter can be a really difficult time to stay upbeat, but there are things you can do to boost your mood and, in turn, reduce your pain. She continues: Exercising outside, even if its just going for a walk, allows you to get your daily dose of vitamin D (which is important for mood) at the same time as releasing feel-good endorphins from the 18 versusarthritis.org PP17-19_Inspire_Winter 2023_Emotions and Pain.indd 18 14/11/2023 11:50