Most people think of pain as a purely physical experience. A hot stove burns my hand, my skin is hurt, my brain sends a pain signal, Ouch! This sensory feeling is but one source, one explanation of pain. The second explanation is the role of emotions in the experience of pain. Fear and example, for example, amplifies the pain signal. If we are worried about our pain, it hurts more. The more we worry the stronger the pain signal. The brain is a complex interaction between our physical selves and our emotional experience of what our body is feeling, especially where chronic pain is concerned.
To help us understand more about this, Nicola Twilley has written about the neuroscience of pain in New Yorker magazine, here.
On Desire in Long Term Relationships
Experiencing the sexual doldrums? Bored? Unmotivated? Waiting for your partner to light the spark? This interview with psychotherapist Esthe...
-
I am often asked by someone who has decided to seek out therapy whether to select a male or female psychologist. Psychologists discuss this ... -
Whether the diagnosis be depression, bipolar, anxiety, anger issues, chronic pain or _______ (insert disorder of your choice), in other ... -
In honor of the first day of the fall season, I am re-posting my Pleasant Events List. Those of you who read the previous post will be glad...