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4mo ago

Study Links Depression and Loneliness to Chronic Pain Years Before Onset

UCL research finds mental health struggles precede chronic pain by up to eight years, urging early interventions to mitigate risks.

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The researchers also investigated if there was a link between social isolation and experiences of pain but, unlike with loneliness, found little difference in social isolation between the pain and non-pain groups. Credit: Neuroscience News
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Overview

  • The study analyzed 21 years of data from over 7,300 adults aged 50 and older in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
  • Depression and loneliness worsened progressively up to eight years before the onset of chronic pain, peaked at pain onset, and remained elevated thereafter.
  • Lower socioeconomic status, including less education and wealth, was linked to more severe pre-pain depressive symptoms and loneliness.
  • Loneliness, a subjective feeling of inadequate social connection, increased significantly before and after pain onset, while social isolation levels remained unchanged.
  • Researchers propose early mental health treatment and social support as potential strategies to delay or prevent chronic pain.