Researchers from the University of California-Irvine are learning more about how companionship and mental health can help to overcome chronic pain. What they found was that mice that lived in communities tended to have less pain than mice that were kept in isolation.
Typically, lab mice are studied because their biological systems are similar enough to humans that medical knowledge can be advanced without risk to humans. Also, mice age more quickly than humans and have faster metabolisms, allowing for changes in their bodies to occur far faster than what can occur in humans. They are not a perfect comparison, but they are a pretty good starting point, especially in the early stages of medical trials.
That wasn’t what occurred in this particular study. These mice did have sickle cell anemia, which caused them chronic pain. However, when mice were in groups with other mice, researchers found that their pain was alleviated because of elevated levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with mental health. When mice were isolated, they had low levels of serotonin and more pain. This may explain why chronic pain can often be treated effectively with antidepressants.
People do better when they are part of a community. That’s one of the hardest parts about the whole COVID-19 pandemic. While there’s definitely an element of fear because of the virus itself, the social distancing guidelines have been what have hurt far more people. While many have lost their lives because of sickness during this time, everyone has been impacted to some degree because of increased levels of isolation. There’s a very real mental health crisis occurring all across our country because of this. Seniors all over are being impacted by this.
So, what can we do about this? First, we need to acknowledge that this is a problem that extends beyond the current pandemic. Even prior to COVID-19, many seniors found themselves facing isolation because of a decreased ability to get around. Seniors that are homebound or have difficulty with things like driving often face increased levels of social isolation. This can exacerbate symptoms of mental illness. By understanding that this problem extends beyond the pandemic and into everyday life is the first thing that we can do to help seniors live a better life.
Next, we need to install safeguards so that even seniors that are living by themselves are not left alone. Friends, family members, neighbors, and others in the community all play a part in doing this. By checking in and visiting with the people that we love frequently, we can make sure that no one is ever truly alone.
Senior care can sometimes play a role in this. If you notice that an older loved one needs extra help, be sure to get them pointed in the right direction. This might mean helping them find the right senior care, guide them toward the right doctor, or help connect them with some other resource. Either way, having an extra set of eyes on the seniors in our lives can only help as their is more and more accountability and people involved in their well being.
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