The Psychology of Pain

Have you ever noticed that two people can have the same injury, but react to or have different experiences of it? The mind can be a powerful influence on how an injury is interpreted, processed and experienced by a person. In addition to receiving good physical rehabilitation, it’s also important to consider mental health during recovery.

The Mind and the Body

For a long time, the mind and the body were considered separate, and that one did not have influence over the other. This perspective was known as mind-body dualism. However, thanks to advances in our understanding of the body, we now know that the mind and the body are inextricably linked: psychological processes can exert a strong influence on how we perceive different sensations, including pain; and signals from the body can also influence our thoughts.

Given this relationship, there is now increased attention given to people’s mental states in the presence of injury and during their recovery, as this can directly affect not only how they feel, but how quickly they can recover, and how well they can engage with rehabilitation. There is strong evidence now that mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can prolong recovery from procedures like a total knee replacement [reference].

What to look out for

It is normal for people to experience negative feelings following an injury – after all, injuries can disrupt routine and other life plans, sometimes in a major way. Whilst feelings like frustration, anger and sadness are normal and part of your recovery journey, it is important to let your healthcare provider know if you need additional support during recovery. This is especially important if you experience the following:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Low mood
• Low energy levels
• High irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Social withdrawal

If you already have a mental health condition that you think might affect your recovery, or are worried about it being exacerbated by your injury, speak to your healthcare team to discuss how they could best support you.

What do to if you need support

Mental health support can take many forms and can be as simple as speaking to your healthcare provider, friends or family to get things off your chest, or a referral to a mental health professional for further assessment.

Don’t be afraid to let your healthcare team know if you’re finding the recovery process challenging–it is! With our understanding of the relationship between the mind and body, good rehabilitation and recovery isn’t just about the physical improvements; it’s also about ensuring mental recovery as well.