The Pain Factor in Mental Health

What’s the link between serious mental illness and pain? An article in Schizophrenia Research explored the connection using information from almost 900 people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder. Participants completed the Global Assessment Scale and the 12-item Short Form Survey helping researchers determine the level that pain interfered with their daily functioning. Those with major depressive disorder were shown to experience the highest pain interference in the groups studied, having greater disruption in daily activities.

The study concluded that regular screening for pain in patients with serious mental illness is called for, and additional research to further understand the impact of pain on functioning is needed to explore avenues of treatment—“…the impact of pain in global functioning appears independent of physical health problems, and thus may warrant routine screening from mental health providers.”

 

Access the journal article.

Other Categories:

• depression

• functional pain management

• research/study