Chronic pain and mental health: exploring the impact

Many people think of chronic pain as a rare occurrence, when in fact it’s a persistent and growing problem in the United States. In 2016, the CDC reported that around 50 million American adults were living with chronic pain, or pain lasting longer than three months. In 2021, that number increased to 51.6 million, or about 21% of the population.

Chronic pain presents in a number of ways, from arthritis in the knees or joints to back pain to migraines, and can be caused by damage to the nervous system, injury, infection, or even diseases such as cancer. And because of its duration, it becomes more than just a physical discomfort—eventually, individuals begin to see its effects bleed into their emotional and mental well-being. Consider someone who can no longer continue with hobbies, keep their job, or sleep peacefully or continuously because of the pain.

Below, we’ll explore how and why there is a strong link between chronic pain and mental health, and the profound impact this can have on a person’s professional and personal life.

The mind-body connection

Research has shown that physical pain can influence psychological well-being. 40% of adults with chronic pain experienced “clinically significant depression and anxiety,” Johns Hopkins Medicine reported just this year.

The opposite is true as well: Your mind can impact your body’s well-being. A 2025 study, for example, found that mindfulness meditation produced greater reductions in pain intensity than placebos.

Chronic pain can impact the nervous system, meaning it also influences how you control your emotions or other brain functions. So, with chronic pain, you might struggle to keep negative feelings at bay, experience drastic mood swings, or have trouble getting motivated, making decisions, and retaining information.

Common mental health challenges faced by those with chronic pain

There are numerous mental health challenges that can arise when you have chronic pain, but here are some of the more common ones worth knowing about:

• Depression and anxiety: Depression causes people to experience persistently bad moods and lose interest in activities they used to enjoy; it can also lead to a low appetite, poor sleep habits, and other problems like substance misuse. Anxiety is frequently linked with depression and presents as constant fear, worry, overthinking, and/or overwhelm.
  

  In 2024, researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences found that U.S. adults living with chronic pain were around five times more likely to have clinically significant, unremitted anxiety or depression compared with those not living with chronic pain, and that U.S. adults with chronic pain made up over 55% of individuals with unremitted anxiety or depression symptoms.

  Another recent report from Hinge Health found that 65% of people with depression also report chronic MSK pain.

• Insomnia and fatigue: Fatigue is consistent tiredness or lethargy, and like depression and anxiety, it can make it hard to focus or get motivated or energized day to day. Insomnia, meanwhile, causes you to be unable to fall asleep, stay asleep, or experience a restful and undisturbed sleep. A 2022 study found that people who had trouble sleeping had higher pain intensity, longer durations of pain, and more pain-related anxiety than those who slept normally.

• Brain fog or issues concentrating: Brain fog refers to memory loss, trouble focusing, and problems thinking clearly, and has also been connected to chronic pain.
  

  One 2023 scientific review reported that between 15% and 40% of people with chronic pain as a primary disorder experienced brain fog. This not only makes everyday tasks difficult and contributes to a lost sense of self, but it can also impact employment, caregiving abilities, and other important life commitments.

Chronic pain and mental health: the social and emotional impacts

When one’s physical, mental, and emotional health takes a hit from chronic pain, whether through clinical issues like depression or debilitating symptoms like fatigue, other negative consequences can result:

• They might face isolation and loneliness due to the physical limitations of their condition that prevent them from seeing people or engaging in social activities.
• They might encounter stigma and disbelief from others, including medical professionals who can’t physically see their pain or symptoms, resulting in social exclusion and rejection.
• They might experience a loss of identity, sense of purpose, or self when hobbies, interests, or relationships take a back seat.
• They might find it hard to meet job demands, miss work, or lose their job, leading to financial stress, lowered self-esteem, and feelings of guilt and inadequacy.

Chronic pain can make even minor life hurdles feel impossible to overcome, but individuals living with it don’t have to go it alone. Besides close family and reliable medical providers, employers, too, can play a crucial role in an individual’s journey to a pain-free life—and they’ll benefit in the process.

In 2010, researchers estimated that chronic pain accounted for up to $635 billion in economic costs due to lost productivity and healthcare expenditures. Hinge Health’s report also found that employers spend an extra $4,300 per worker per year to address major depressive disorder and chronic pain. Consider how much organizations can save and reap long-term by supporting employees with chronic pain and related mental health issues.

Luckily, there are a variety of treatment options companies can leverage, from therapies to medication-related programs to stress reduction and rehab. And partnering with a Centers of Excellence network like Carrum Health, with its pre-negotiated rates, risk-sharing contracts, and comprehensive, evidence-based approach to high-quality healthcare, can enable you to provide your staff with the highest-quality offerings—without the usual high costs of doing business.

Learn more about how to partner with Carrum Health here.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. No material is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.