I think chronic pain can definitely cause depression, and for example, years of insecurity over a diagnosis, etc, can cause anxiety (or worrying how you appear to people when you're limping/on a cane etc) but in my case, depression and anxiety both run in the family strongly (as in, in everyone, in every generation, for at least a hundred years on my dad's side) and AS/autoimmune stuff is only MY generation, so in our case I don't think either is responsible for causing the other, y'know? Even the HEALTHY people in our family have depression/anxiety.
I have a serious love affair with Cymbalta 60 and 1200mg Neurontin. They both help my pain, AND keep me from being a complete screaming, hair-tearing shut-in. (I know what I'm talking about . . . I WAS a hear-tearing screaming shut-in one winter. I almost killed myself. I weighed 102 pounds (size zero pants fell off me) and woke up screaming every day.) Well, I think the boyfriend I had at the time contributed a LOT . . . but the combination of Neurontin and leaving him was pretty much the best thing I ever did. (Up until deciding to marry Cody and have his midgets, of course. heehee)
-Bridget
