Matcham
According to one large study by Matcham et al into the prevalence of depression among rheumatoid arthritis patients, about a third of patients are believed to suffer from depression. The reasons for this correlation are many and varied, and not just for arthritis patients, but for chronic pain patients more generally. Pain changes life in many ways and c reates new stressor s that are difficult to deal with. For instance, pain conditions may interfere with your ability to work, to perform the activities you love and even to do basic daily tasks. The need to depend on others more heavily may lead to feelings of incompetence and worthlessness. What is more, pain is anxiety-inducing; fears concerning whether you'll ever recover may cause significant worry and depression. Finally, there is a biochemical connection between physical pain and depression. Both are processed in the same areas of the brain, and an increase in activation from one stimulus can cause an increase in the sensat