How Does Physical Pain Manifest Into Depression?

The mechanism of pain is actually an extremely complex sequence of events involving the central nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system. The modulation of pain stimuli begins at the skin, with the sensory nerves, from here the signal is transported to the spinal cord, where signals are regulated, for transport to the brain. We now know that the brain has neurons that are correctly programmed to produce, send, and receive a specific biochemical. Each biochemical, called neurotransmitters, travels along a different nerve pathway, resulting in a variety of physical processes. The pain signal comes into the brain and is processed by different parts of the brain for responses. The body’s anti-pain system is activated and at the same time the chemical dopamine is released which acts as interface between stress and emotions. The flow of these chemicals is the essence of our wellbeing. If there is excess, the nerve shuts down and the signal can’t conduct the electrical impulse to the next neuron. If there is a deficiency the reverse process occurs, the nerve shuts down. This is how the brain regulates the biochemical balance.

Think of this process as a crowd of people at a ball game, each person is a neuron, the signal is given and people begin to lift their arms, people next to them follow suit, and amazingly it appears as a rhythmic wave. If this biochemical wave is excessive or deficient the wave motion and flow will stop, this can lead to physical illness and/or mental instability . Of course this is only a brief glimpse of this process, but hopefully we can begin to understand why it is important for the public and the medical community to be aware of this physical and psychological mind body connection.