[lorna]

Ok, I have major physical problems caused by an accident. Its impacting me daily and it has changed me as a person. Mental pain has crept up on me, with depression and anxiety most obvious. My question is how do you differentiate between the physical and the mental pain or do you accept it as one. I always worry being told, well go see your pdoc for you meds even though i think that my pain is not just in my mind. Chronic pain ..... well I have some issues

[(JD)]

Once something is registered as physical pain, it's pain. I differentiate physical from mental as where it begins ... did mental anguish, negative thinking etc cause me to tense up or become angry or fearful and thus began a cascading effect to the body? But as I said, once it is interpreted by the body as pain, you deal with it as physical pain, because it is.

There is no pure separation of mind and body. Ca't be done.

Continue to work on your thought processes ... realizing there is a connection is the first step. Trying to catch the mental pain before you assimilate it into the body comes soon.

I compare this to my migraines. In the beginning I would try and figure out what caused the migraine (thus determining if I can make it go away or if it's legitimate.) Of course, once I have a migraine, it doesn't matter what caused it when it comes to treating it. Whether it's a "normal" migraine or one that's opthalmolgic, the treatment is the same. After the migraine is gone, then I can try to assess whether I could have avoided it or not.

[Perna]

Many physical problems can cause depression and anxiety and depression and anxiety can cause physical aches and pains. But depression and anxiety are usually treated by pdocs, despite which came first, the chicken or the egg. There isn't really an "in my mind" thing about depression and anxiety.

I take thyroid hormone and because I have to take it by mouth instead of my body making it like it likes, I have all sorts of aches and pains thought to be caused by how the hormone is used when taken as a pill rather than made "naturally". I can't "fix" that problem completely and have to deal with the aches and pains however I can. I think the same is true of your depression, whether it's caused by your other, physical illnesses and pains or "in your mind". The pdoc's meds will probably help with it.

[lorna]

I appreciate your responses and sorry it took me so long to thank. Its a point of frustration for me, i know there is something wrong , yet cause i have psych involved i wonder if my care overall has been less. Its a sad state to say that, but i just have issues with complaining and explaining how bad im feelling and it looks like its a depression issue, which i do believe in part but also a untended physical issues cause i can't deal with it. Does this make any sense... Well thanks for your responses I appreciate them.

[(JD)]

Oh yes, Lorna, you are making a lot of sense! I, too, have experienced and continue to experience a difficult path because even though my MD is also homeopathic, she tends to base all my ills upon my mental status!

I am learned enough to know not to fight such a viewpoint; trying to explain it to the MD, in her mind, would only add credence that it's all psychological.

Well, she knows it's also physical which is why she does treat me too.

Very confusing issue.

What adds to the conflict is that my personal beliefs are such that I know someone can be healed without medical intervention. I believe God uses doctors, for sure, but doesn't always require them. The mind-body connection is part of our being, what we think does change our bodies, and vice versa.

It's a personal battle to find where we can sit comfortably on that continuum, and work from there on our healing.

[Crew]

((((((((Lorna))))))))

Were so sorry you are in such pain and then the mental pain and maybe feeling stuck.

We feel that way like if they would act like I'm Julie Roberts then and only then I would be helped in someway but I'm not julie roberts so anyway back to the real world...

Have you tried calming music with visual imagery????

I am so sorry you are hurting, you so don't deserve this!

Were sending all our support and care your way, tell me when it hits you ,
Take care our friend!,
Crew

[lorna]

Very good help , and support from you all. I appreciate the kinds words, ideas of guided imagery, medictation and such to promote a happy body. Its hard to accept the new me and its an entire process.

[humors1]

I don't know if it is like this for you but I was really afraid of my med doc just blowing off my pain because I have mental health issues, but she said pain is pain and it needs treatment. It made me feel like my pain was valid and not just in my head. There are also (I don't know if someone else mentioned this, i don't think so) but special places that only deal with pain any and all pain called Pain Management. They are a huge they only focus on the pain so it helps to free up my docs up to deal with the issue that causes the pain.
I hope you have some relief soon
Take Care, humors1

[lorna]

ty Humors, livin with pain is the hardest. I know my pain is real ad I know ifeel it, I have been told that from my psychologist. Its just the feelling that ohh you are nuts you need psycch help, not ohh your injured you need support for mental issues. Like its needed, if it wasn't somethin would be considered worng

[gow13]

When my Rhuematoid Arthrtis pain wasn't under control for four years I was literally crazed and a monster, who fell off the toilet from being over drugged by doctors who were basically legal drug dealers. I said," no more!" After almost dying in the hospital, and got off the pain meds and forced myself to just move. Now I only take ibuprofen and klonopin for TMJ.

[Crew]

(((((((Lorna))))))))))

I am so so very sorry you hurt, its not fair and to heck with the life isn't fair deal. Life isn't fair to the people that can say that but to those that
are in pain, I truly wish it wasn't there.........

we've been thinking and hoping and wishing and hoping and thinking about you Lorna, please know were thinking of you and wishing for a space of pain if not for a minute.

Hearts, Crew

[lorna]

Originally Posted by Crew

(((((((Lorna))))))))))

I am so so very sorry you hurt, its not fair and to heck with the life isn't fair deal. Life isn't fair to the people that can say that but to those that
are in pain, I truly wish it wasn't there.........

we've been thinking and hoping and wishing and hoping and thinking about you Lorna, please know were thinking of you and wishing for a space of pain if not for a minute.

Hearts, Crew

I hope for the same thing for you Crew Truly...you have taught me ways to deal appropriately with the pain...miss the groups and our old chats....welll hope you are wellLorn

[Crew]

(((((((((((((((((((((Lorna)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

D I T T O!!!

we truly care about you so much and YES, I miss the chats to, more then you know!

Crew

[Miracle1986]

Big for you lorna!

[Vossie42]

Hi, Lorna! I've experienced the physical versus psychological pain dilemma, too. And yes, I would receive lesser quality care if I told my doctor that I was depressed. It got to where I would withhold that information until after the doctor had successfully treated me. It was pretty amusing to watch their faces when they realized that they would have treated me differently and much less successfully had they known I struggled with depression. Caveat: I was not taking antidepressant medications at the time which would need to be shared with the doctor. Anyway, I digress...

It could very well be true that at least some of your physical pain is, gasp, purely physical in origin. In my case, I got rid of chronic lower back pain, cramping, bloating, gas, alternating constipation and diarrhea, severely itchy skin almost overnight when I switched to a gluten-free diet. The symptoms I listed above could be caused by anxiety and depression also, but they weren't.

My point is that your aches and pains can be purely physical in origin. Unfortunately, medical doctors seem to be too lazy to really get to the bottom of things. Instead they apply treatments based on the law of averages when you may be on the outer edges of the bell curve. And it takes alot of investigation and trying things out on your part until you find what the problem really is. Try typing all your symptoms into a search engine and see what you come up with. That's how I figured out that I'm sensitive to gluten.

Good luck!

[Skully]

I am so sorry you have to feel this way. I know what you are going through. I am having major nerve problems in my legs and they are having a hard time finding out what is causing it. The real kicker is I am a runner and I cannot run much now due to the nerve pain. It really has me depressed becuase I love to run. It helps by giving me the time to think about things and work out things in my head while I run. I no longer have that access since I cannot run.

I am how you feel and I wish I had a solution for you. If I find one you will be the first to know