Physical, Emotional, and Social Pain During COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Social Isolation

Abstract

The socio-emotional condition during the COVID-19 pandemic subsidises the (re)modulation of interactive neural circuits underlying risk assessment behaviour at the physical, emotional, and social levels. Experiences of social isolation, exclusion, or affective loss are generally considered some of the most “painful” things that people endure. The threats of social disconnection are processed by some of the same neural structures that process basic threats to survival. The lack of social connection can be “painful” due to an overlap in the neural circuitry responsible for both physical and emotional pain related to feelings of social rejection. Indeed, many of us go to great lengths to avoid situations that may engender these experiences. Accordingly, this work focuses on pandemic times; the somatisation mentioned above seeks the interconnection and/or interdependence between neural systems related to emotional and cognitive processes such that a person involved in an aversive social environment becomes aware of himself, others, and the threatening situation experienced and takes steps to avoid daily psychological and neuropsychiatric effects. Social distancing during isolation evokes the formation of social distress, increasing the intensity of learned fear that people acquire, consequently enhancing emotional and social pain.

Clinical factors affecting depression in patients with painful temporomandibular disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…The COVID-19 pandemic may be threaten and elevate pain and depression in people with TMD, as it does in other chronic pain patients 19 . Patients in pain should exercise isolation or social distancing since the COVID-19 pandemic could cause their physical and emotional well-being to deteriorate 20 . Neurobiological, psychological, and social factors of pain form a complex circle, thus requiring a biopsychosocial therapeutic approach.…”

Experiencias de vida ante el riesgo por COVID-19 (año 2020-2021). Redimensionando el comportamiento ante el desastre

“…Y aunque esto mismo puede ser movilizador, en general, la desmovilización social vía el miedo al contagio y a la muerte por COVID-19 fue lo que predominó. Lo narrado en este trabajo, sobre las experiencias de vida durante la pandemia por COVID-19, coincide con lo señalado como consecuencias de la misma pandemia por otros autores: ansiedad y depresión (Fullana et al, 2020), miedo y depresión (Pak et al, 2021), miedo (Medeiros et al, 2022), ansiedad (Orozco, 2022). Igualmente se reconoce que los desastres generan daños a nivel emocional en los que se destacan el miedo y el distanciamiento social (Alcota y Aravena-Reyes, 2020), y también, en la necesidad de implementar medidas de prevención e intervención para un adecuado manejo de las emociones (Orozco, 2022) Entre las limitaciones de este estudio, se mencionan el reducido número de casos que se consideraron para abordar las experiencias de vida; el tiempo -un año-para hacer la investigación y, por último, que la investigación se hizo en el mismo tiempo en que se vivían las experiencias objeto de análisis, aspectos que habría que considerar en futuras investigaciones.…”

“…Pak et al (2021) analizaron experiencias durante la pandemia y encontraron que el miedo a la COVID-19 presentaba una correlación positiva con la intolerancia a la incertidumbre y la depresión. Medeiros et al (2022) destacaron que las experiencias de aislamiento social, la exclusión o https://doi.org/10. 16888/interd.2023.40.3.25 La vida ante riesgo y desastre por COVID-19 la pérdida afectiva, fueron identificadas con mayor frecuencia durante la pandemia por COVID-19.…”

The Opioid Epidemic in America: Pandemic Impacts

“…With the increase in COVID-related mental health issues and social isolation, pain control in the orthopaedic office remains an important topic. Patients with psychological stressors may interpret greater amounts of physical pain with injuries or surgeries, 25 and addressing these issues directly with the patient is a necessary part of their treatment plan.…”