1. Anxiety
30–60% of chronic pain patients have pathological anxiety (GAD most common)1-4
Can present as:
Personality trait (i.e., periodically excessive)
Symptom of another disorder (e.g., depression)
Triggered by stressful situation (e.g., chronic pain)
Phobic model: avoids pain-triggering activities
PTSD model: if pain caused through injury/trauma, “flashbacks”/nightmares occur
1. Fishbain DA. Med Clin NA 1999;83(3):737-60
2. Katon W, Egan K, Miller D. Am J Psychiatry 1985;142(10):
3. Semin Clin Neuropsychiatry 1999;4(3):203-20
4. Erickson B. Tech Reg Anesth Pain Manag 2005;9(4):200-3