Chronic pain

[Rainagain]

Anyone else suffer from this?

Mine started around the time of my first depression many years ago, probably preceded the cptsd so might not be cptsd related.

Jordan Peterson has said 'depression is chronic pain and chronic pain is depression'

Not sure what he means as I experience both as seemingly independent.

But he seems to know his stuff.......

[woodsgnome]

I've had ongoing chronic pain/osteoarthritis for decades. While MD's like to ignore the psych side and toss out pharma solutions, I feel it's tied into cptsd big time, but only recently have been able to see a psychiatrist for a quasi-medical 2nd opinion. I was referred to her by my therapist as it's obvious to her these have involved much more than exclusive body-oriented symptoms.

Lots more, actually, but that's the gist -- steady, constant pain, complicated big time a couple of years ago by a botched surgical procedure I should have not allowed myself to be talked into ('doctor knows best' syndrome). As to depression, I guess I'd fit that category, but I it's major triggers over the years are all tied to disappointment -- with people especially. That's also been consistent, starting with very early abuse, when the body/mind started 'keeping the score'.

[Rainagain]

Sorry you have this woods, what you say  is so recognisable to me.

I had a botched surgical procedure (severe post op infection requiring emergency surgery) around the time of a serious emotional trauma.

Had years of effort (and meds) trying to sort out the resulting chronic pain before giving up and just bearing it, I now suspect it was always more to do with the trauma, but I hadn't seen that possibility.

If trauma bashes the immune system that might explain the infection I guess, hard to know, but it was common in that hospital at the time anyway.

I seem to think the psychological help i received for the chronic pain may have made my trauma effects more severe, strategies for coping with pain might not be the best for someone who is traumatised, again, hard to know.

Dont suppose it matters much anyway, trying to connect up the dots is a pointless hobby of mine.

[Blueberry]

Rainagain, I used to have a lot of 'psychosomatic pain'. It's one of the symptoms that has really, really improved since even before I was in trauma T. I would say in retrospect that the emotional pain I had suppressed over years, decades even, came out physically instead and got worse and worse until I simply had to address it. It along with other physical symptoms used to leap around. The docs would work on one, it would clear up and then appear somewhere else. The pain was real, there was just no physical cause they could find.

I would also say now that some of the pain (and physical weakness) was caused (or partially caused) by chronic muscle-tightening and tension, e.g. the pain in my hands, arms and shoulders.

As for "depression is suppressed pain": I've been told that depression is suppressed anger or suppressed / unexpressed feelings in general. Could be all of that depending on the person or may vary depending on what's going on in your life.

I had to have minor surgery a number of years ago but fortunately my gp had put it off as long as possible to help prevent retraumatisation.

When I was a child the pain was traced to tension. It didn't leap around, but spread out more and more as the years went by.

I try to connect dots sometimes too. If it helps understand or even helps me accept myself and my limitations better (it does sometimes!), then I don't think it's pointless.

Wishing both you and woodsgnome distraction and comfort from your pain.

[snailspace]

Rainagain, sorry to hear you're suffering chronic pain.
I can identify.
I've found this resource very helpful to do with the mindbody connection.  Georgie Oldfield is a NHS trained physio and is following on the work of John Sarno.

https://www.sirpa.org/

[Rainagain]

Thank you for your replies, seems like there is more understanding of the way trauma and pain are connected than when mine started, but that was 30 years ago I guess.