Is fibromyalgia linked to depression?

Yes,: The frequency of clinical depression or anxiety is higher in fibromyalgia patients then the general population. This is also true of other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Current research does not support depression as a cause of fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is not depression. However, chronic pain can cause feelings of anxiety and depression, which can worsen fibromyalgia symptoms.

Yes: Symptoms of fibromyalgia overlap symptoms of depression: sleep disturbance, diminished energy, aches and pains. Treatment which works for fibromyalgia is similar to some approaches to treat depression: some antidepressants, exercise, sleep hygiene. Chronic pain and disability often evokes depression -- so it is not unusual for someone with fibromyalgia to also be depressed.

Yes: Usually fibromyagia (fms) is often overlapped by depression/anxiety which often are coexistent with chronic pain. One can argue about which comes first however, as already mentioned, many dual action antidepressants like effexor, Cymbalta can help. Now there is one that actually has the indication for fms called savella (milnacipran) that I have tried on fms patients in my own office with mostly positive results.

YES and NO: About 1/3 of fibromyalgia patients have clinically significant depression. Patients with both fibromyalgia and depression tend to have more severe symptoms because it creates a vicious circle; ie, depression worsens fibromyalgia pain and, in turn, fibromyalgia pain worsens depressive symptoms. In order to treat these patients, you must break the cycle by treating both depression and fibromyalgia.

Inflammation+brain: Recent advances in understanding the inflammatory response and state in human brain and body functioning, has suggested fairly strong links between inflammation and mood disorders, for example. Inflammation may represent a "final common pathway" for many human illness states, such as cardiovascular disease, infection and now, depression. It is a big soon to solve the "chicken vsegg" question.

Not directly: People with any long standing pain are obviously at risk for depression fibromyalgia does not cause or directly increase risk of depression nor does depression cause fibromyalgia but might make symptoms more bothersome if you have both. Interestingly several treatments are also antidepressants but most antidepressants don't help.

Yes: #fibromyalgia has chronic pain. Most chronic pain patients have interrupted ; non-restorative sleep. Combination of non-refreshing sleep & daytime fatigue highly associated with onset depression. Ask tired people about their level of enthusiasm. Most people with fibromyalgia are dejected at least; a goodly portion are overtly depressed. Unfortunately, approved "fibro meds" do not improve sleep!