Key points

The brain processes pain through multiple regions in the brain.

A low mood and negative thoughts increase the pain level you feel.

Therapies to reduce negative thinking reduce suffering from pain.

Mindfulness practice and reducing cognitive distortions bring negative thinking patterns to your awareness.

Pain and mood have a complicated relationship. Numerous studies show that low mood intensifies the experience of pain. Likewise, pain disorders develop more commonly in people with a history of depression , trauma , or overwhelming stress . This is because the brain processes pain as both a physical and emotional experience; multiple regions in the brain communicate to determine the pain level you feel.

With the advent of functional brain MRI, we can now see how brain

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