Painful Life Events in Psychiatric Disorders: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis

We reported in a previous study the painful events experienced in the past in subjects with schizophrenia or major depression, in comparison to controls, and related them to the experimental pain sensitivity, anxiety, and the diagnosis. We present here the detailed analysis of these past painful events, with the aim of determining whether schizophrenic, depressive and control groups are qualitatively (type of painful events experienced, emotional or sensory components associated with pain) and quantitatively (duration, severity, and intensity) comparable concerning their past painful experiences. The questionnaire used relies on memory and feelings and will provide an indication about the way pain is experienced and memorized in daily life. The reported history of pain was not the same in the three groups. Depressed subjects differed from the others by the number of reported painful events. Painful events of everyday life, such as trauma without fracture and wounds, were the most highly reported painful events for all groups. Surprisingly, the daily pain events are associated to affective component of pain perception. Other kinds of event were differently reported between the groups. Experience of pain appears to be memorized and reported differently depending on the psychiatric disorder and type of event. The characteristics of each individual, their previous experience, contribute to the expression of psychiatric disorders, including in the field of pain. Past pain experience should be taken into account when attending someone for pain.