Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Rethinking Pain and Workplace Wellness

Photo credit: CNN

On the latest episode of That Said with Michael Zeldin, CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses his new book, It Doesn’t Have to Hurt, in a conversation that is both eye-opening and deeply relatable. The discussion moves beyond medicine to examine chronic pain, why it is so misunderstood and what it means for how we work and lead today. The science may be complex, but the takeaway is simple. We need to rethink how we talk about pain, especially in the workplace.

Gupta notes that chronic pain is the fastest-growing chronic condition in America, yet it receives far less attention than cancer, dementia or heart disease. Almost everyone knows someone living with it, and many employees are managing it quietly every day. He calls pain “the most mysterious human sensation,” pointing out that two people with the same injury can experience it very differently, and even one person’s pain can vary from day to day.

That quiet suffering is unfolding amid rising workplace stress. Truescope workplace wellness data shows that nearly half of professionals in communications-adjacent fields feel exhausted just trying to keep up with evolving demands, while a similar share say they are overwhelmed by workload. Stress, uncertainty and burnout are not abstract concepts. They are daily realities that shape how people feel both mentally and physically.

Acute pain acts as the body’s alarm system, warning us to pull back from harm. Chronic pain is different. It often persists long after an injury has healed and, as Gupta explains, it “never occurs in isolation.” It is closely linked to stress, anxiety, depression, poor sleep and past trauma. Treating it as a purely physical issue rarely works because it is not one.

One of the episode’s key insights is that pain is processed in the brain. Signals move from the body to the spinal cord and then to the brain, which determines how pain is experienced. That process is influenced by sleep, emotional state and whether someone feels supported or alone. The brain is constantly scanning for cues, many of which come from a person’s environment rather than their injury.

This is where workplace culture enters the equation. Truescope, a media intelligence and analytics platform that analyzes workforce, business and societal trends, finds that economic uncertainty is intensifying stress across communications roles. Forty percent of workers worry about layoffs, and nearly a third are concerned about reduced hours or pay. In PR and communications, where professionals often feel especially vulnerable during downturns, that ongoing vigilance becomes part of the nervous system’s background noise, amplifying pain and slowing recovery.

Context matters. A poor night’s sleep, a tense client call or feeling overlooked by leadership can turn a manageable ache into something overwhelming. The encouraging news is that the reverse is also true. Better sleep, lower stress and genuine connection can reduce pain. Gupta emphasizes that recognizing the brain’s role does not mean pain is imagined. The pain is real. What changes is how much control people may have once they understand what is influencing it.

Zeldin explores the idea of suffering, and Gupta agrees that chronic pain can take over a person’s identity in ways other conditions often do not. People begin to define themselves by what hurts. For communicators and leaders, that should be a wake-up call. Employees may be managing crises, leading teams and meeting deadlines while carrying a level of suffering no one can see.

Gupta also explains how loneliness amplifies pain. Brain scans show that physical pain and emotional pain, including isolation, activate the same regions. Truescope data reinforces this risk in today’s hybrid and high-pressure work environments, where professionals often withdraw as workloads intensify. In communications, early mornings tracking breaking news, constant client demands and lean teams can quietly push people into isolation, creating a feedback loop that worsens both pain and burnout.

Gupta offers practical ways forward, describing how to “reframe, replace and reset” the brain’s response to pain. Reframing helps people understand that chronic pain does not always signal ongoing damage. Replacing involves shifting habits, such as choosing movement over complete rest. Resetting focuses on tools that build resilience at the brain level, including mindfulness, sleep routines, music and real human connection. These approaches are evidence-based, with studies showing mindfulness can provide pain relief comparable to low-dose opioids for some patients.

The implications for workplace wellness are significant. While most organizations now offer wellness benefits, Truescope data shows employees increasingly expect holistic support that addresses mental, physical and emotional strain together. For Gen Z professionals, in particular, work-life balance is not a perk but essential infrastructure shaping career decisions and long-term health.

For communicators, this reframes the conversation. Wellness cannot be reduced to step challenges or gym stipends. Cultures that normalize breaks, movement, realistic expectations and open dialogue about stress directly influence how employees feel in their bodies. Communicators play a central role in shaping that culture by reducing stigma and reinforcing that wellness is a shared responsibility.

Zeldin often revisits his podcast notes as a personal operating manual. His conversation with Gupta fits that tradition. It is more than a book discussion. It is a roadmap for individuals who want to live healthier lives and for organizations that want to better support the people who power them.

For companies serious about workplace wellness, the message is clear. If chronic pain lives in the brain, then workplace culture is part of the story. With the right approach, it can also be part of the solution.

Editor’s note: This article draws on insights from the latest episode of That Said with Michael Zeldin featuring CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, alongside workplace wellness data from Truescope, a media intelligence and analytics platform that tracks workforce, business and societal trends, to explore how chronic pain, stress and culture intersect in today’s communications workplace.