It has a large effect on mental health and depression, too. The pain becomes sort of like being trapped under a too heavy blanket or something, and you’re always fighting with it. Good things feel less good because you’re hurting, and bad things feel worse because you’re hurting. Pain meds help a little, but it sort of numbs everything else along with the pain. The only time you can get a bit of respite is when you’re sleeping, and you better hope nothing wakes you up because then you’re laying in pain trying to go back to sleep for an hour. Awful.