GCT - Relation Between Psychological Conditions and Pain Perception

 

 

We know that our mental states have a big influence on our physical conditions. I will describe how psychological conditions related to pain perception based on GCT and the positive effects of blogging about chronic pain based on this week's reading and illness in this written assignment.

According to Ogden(2019), the Gate Control Theory of Pain by Melzack and Wall (1965) is the theory which "integrated psychology into the traditional biomedical model of pain, not only describing a role for psychological causes and interventions but also allowing for psychological causes and interventions"(p.62).

What can be included in factors that can open the gate? Three big factors have been raised as factors that can open the gate below(Ogden, 2019).

1. Physical factors 
such as injury or disease

2. Emotional factors 
Such as anxiety, worry, tension, and depression

3. Behavioral factors 
such as keep focusing on the pain or boredom

 

On the other hand, factors that can close the gate also can explain through the same factors.

 

1. Physical factors 
solution fundamental problems such as medication or surgery

2. Emotional factors
such as happiness, optimism, and relaxation

3. Behavioral factors
which includes concentration or distraction

Therefore, we can say that individuals' thinking ways strongly influences causing pain. Then, how about the patients who suffer from chronic pain and illness? How can they cope and reduce the pain? Answering Ressler et al. (2012). In the survey, patients reported that their overall ability to cope with chronic illness and pain was impacted positively by blogging. 

 

 

 

First [Control], journaling of their chronic pain or diseases leads to moderation of pain and encourages chronic pain self-management (Ressler, et al., 2012). Ogden (2019) also insisted that "if a stressor is considered controllable and has been predicted, then the stress response is reduced" in the context of psychological moderators(p.60). Recording and analyzing the symptoms enable patients to predict when and how the pain comes. It makes patients can to cope and reduce pain.

Second [Approach coping], blogging offers patients opportunities for making meaning and gaining insights from the experience of illness and furthered their understanding of their illness(Ressler, et al., 2012). This is the approach to coping, confronting the problem, gathering information, or taking direct actions(Ogden, 2019).

Third [Emotion-focused coping], blogging decreases a sense of isolation by establishing online connections with others and increasing a sense of purpose to help others in similar situations. (Ressler, et al., 2012) This is emotion-focused coping (Ogden, 2019)

In conclusion, individuals' thinking ways strongly influence pain perception, bringing us opposite results. Because factors that can open/close the gate can explain the same factors such as Physical, Emotional, Behavioral factors in the Gate Control Theory of Pain. According to Ressler et al.'s (2012) survey, blogging has several positive influences on patients to cope with chronic illness and pain.



References

Ogden, J. (2019). The Psychology of Health and Illness: an open access course. Retrieved from http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/841757/1/__homes.surrey.ac.uk_home_.System_Desktop_The Psychology of Health and Illnessbk.pdf

Ressler, P. K., Bradshaw, Y. S., Gualtieri, L., & Chui, K. K. H. (2012). Communicating the experience of chronic pain and illness through blogging. Journal of medical Internet research, 14(5), e143. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3510726/