How can anxiety affect the intensity of pain?

Anxiety can significantly influence the experience of pain by lowering an individual's pain thresholds. Specifically, anxiety can decrease both the pain perception threshold—the point at which a stimulus begins to feel painful—and the pain tolerance threshold, which is the point at which pain becomes unbearable.1

In the context of chronic pain, anxiety can compound the suffering of a patient, making the condition more difficult to manage. Because the perception of pain is a complex process involving the brain's integration of sensory input with emotions and memories, psychological states are deeply intertwined with physical sensations. Consequently, clinical approaches to pain management often prioritize the reduction of anxiety, as doing so can alter the perception of pain and potentially decrease the amount of medication required for relief. Therapeutic interventions such as psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and the use of psychotropic medications are frequently employed to address these psychological components and improve patient outcomes.21