How does Chronic Pain Impact Wellbeing?
Grace Taqui
I am a fourth-year psychology student with a genuine passion for understanding wellbeing and how it can be nurtured in everyone. My placement as an Honorary Assistant Psychologist in a hospital setting deepened my curiosity about the ways health and life circumstances shape individual wellbeing. Through this module, I was able to explore these interests further and connect them to key ideas in health psychology, which are reflected in this project.
About
Managing chronic pain and the wellbeing of those suffering from it is has become major issue in the UK. This short presentation aims to explore the ways in which chronic pain can impact an individual’s wellbeing. Wellbeing is defined as the care of both mind and body, with an emphasis of living in line with one’s inner values, allowing for the presentation to be centred within a eudemonic framework.
Biology, psychology and economics were selected as the three disciplines to examine the ways in which chronic pain can lead to poor wellbeing. This exploration highlighted the multifaceted ways that chronic pain can negatively impact day-to-day life. Biological functions in the body are typically disrupted. Psychologically, the continuous nature of the pain can lead to an increase of external stress and lowered mood. From an economic standpoint, financial strain from lack of access to aid/care and lowered work can comprise one’s wellbeing. The findings of this project suggest however, that a more multi-disciplinary approach to care could be implemented in the UK to help build up the wellbeing of Individuals with chronic pain and to have better outcomes overall.