Anxiety and depression are increasingly prevalent mental health concerns affecting millions of adults worldwide. These conditions often co-occur, with anxiety disorders frequently preceding or accompanying depressive episodes.
A recent study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, revealed that about 40 per cent of adults experiencing chronic, persistent pain could also have anxiety or depression.
Women and young adults with conditions such as fibromyalgia are most likely to have anxiety and depression, the study noted.
### What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body. The disorder is characterised by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep and mood issues.
Other pain conditions included low back pain and rheumatoid arthritis.
Researchers, including those from Johns Hopkins University, US, analysed 376 studies, involving nearly 3.6 lakh people from across 50 countries for the study.
"In this systematic review and meta-analysis of depression and anxiety among individuals with chronic pain, approximately 40 per cent of adults had clinically significant depression and anxiety," the authors wrote.
Researchers also refer to the biopsychosocial model of pain. This model describes pain as a complex, personal experience stemming from the dynamic interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors, rather than solely a physical phenomenon.
Women are vulnerable to chronic pain, owing to varied factors, including hormonal cycles and heightened emotional responses.
Dr Bronwyn Thompson, senior lecturer, department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand, said that treatments for the most common types of chronic pain have limited impact on pain intensity, meaning many people will live with their pain long-term.