Ms. B suffers from depression. Not only is her mood low, but she also loses interest and motivation in things. What makes her even more distressed is the headaches, stomachaches, backaches, and even many indescribable pains.
No abnormalities were found in the scans and blood tests. Her relatives and friends kept comforting her: “It’s only psychological” and “If you don’t think about it, it will be fine.” As a result, Ms. B felt even more helpless. Why does physical pain often accompany depression?
We first have to ask: Every day, as our internal organs (such as the intestines and stomach) move, muscles and joints bear our weight, why do we not feel pain? The answer lies within the human body’s sensory nervous system, which transmits bodily sensations to the brain via the spinal cord. It allows the brain to act as the boss and receive reports from various parts of the body. But just imagine, if every message is reported in an unrestricted matter, the brain will be overwhelmed. Therefore, our nervous system has a top-down nerve path from the brainstem to the spinal cord to inhibit these constant messages. Otherwise, these messages would become too intense and discomfort the brain. The neurotransmitters involved in this nerve pathway are mainly “serotonin” and “norepinephrine”. In depressed brains, the transmission of serotonin and norepinephrine is weakened, resulting not only in mood problems but also in pain felt in various parts of the body. The pain experienced by patients with depression is not imaginary. It is real and can be explained completely by human physiological mechanisms.
After Ms. B understood the pathology, she took immediate action. As a result, her physical and mental pain gradually subsided. To promote the transmission of serotonin and norepinephrine, in addition to taking antidepressants, it is more important to expose the windows to the soul to the light of nature every day. In the first two weeks, she sat on a park bench every morning and looked up at the trees. After her mobility improved, she walked in the park or the beach every day to admire the blue sky and blue sea. Nature’s light is indeed the best medicine for healing the body and mind.
Written by: Dr. William Chui
Originally posted on: HKEJ Health
Translated by: Cheuk Long Chan
