Pain - Ouch!!!
Psychology week was founded by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and occurs annually for one week of the year in the month of November. This year it is from the 8 – 14 of November. The aim of psychology week is to increase awareness of the role that psychology can play in assisting Australian individuals to “lead healthier, happier and more meaningful lives”.[1]
Each year the APS focus on a particular topic. For 2020 it is pain. What picture comes to your mind when you think about the word pain? When I asked some close friends the definition of pain, they were willing to share their interpretations of how they had experienced pain:
“Extreme discomfort and agony”
“The opposite of comfort”
“Something that makes your equilibrium out of whack”
“Super unpleasant”
“Hurts”
The definition of pain by the International Association for the Study of Pain describes pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage”.[2] Pain can be experienced as physical pain however pain can also be experienced emotionally, psychologically, socially or spiritually as well, and often when you experience pain in one of these areas other areas are also affected.
Physical pain is a highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury and if acute pain is not managed it can lead to chronic pain. Chronic pain affects one in five Australians aged 45+.[3] Physical pain maybe described with words such as: suffering, agony, torment, discomfort, torture, affliction, unbearable and often can lead to depression or anxiety. Physical pain can affect everyday functioning, can be debilitating and cause a variety of negative emotions such as anger, disappointment, depression, hopelessness, sadness or anxiety.
Emotional pain can include feelings of grief, sadness, depression, distress, panic, regret, sorrow, panic, rage, shame, loneliness, isolation, guilt, hopelessness and helplessness, just to name a few. This type of pain is an internal process and can occur from many different circumstances in life. Emotional pain can impact physical pain and vice versa.
Psychological or mental pain can have an effect on your cognitive function such as thoughts, beliefs and memory and affects your mind and brain. Psychological pain can be caused by loss, trauma, mental distress, illness, psychological disorders, mood issues, emotional pain, physical pain and can sometimes result in an inability to process information or emotions.
Social pain can be inflicted from relationship disharmony. This can include rejection, bullying, lack of connection with others, neglect, abuse, isolation, loneliness, sickness or death of another, intimate or romantic breakdown. Social pain can light up the brain the same as physical pain. As social connection is part of survival it is little wonder that social pain impacts the brain in such a way.
Spiritual pain can be felt by some as painful memories of the past, present or future.[4] Emotions that can accompany spiritual pain often have negative effects such as guilt, shame, fear or anger. Spiritual pain can be present in individuals who are also suffering from some forms of chronic physical pain, life threatening illness or end of life considerations. However, some people find that viewing pain as a holistic approach (including their spiritual beliefs) might experience that spiritual practices can assist with not only their spiritual pain but other forms of pain also.
The most common symptom people access mental health services is due to pain of some kind, whether it be physical, emotional, psychological, social or spiritual. Pain is an experience that all people experience either all of the time or some of the time in their lives. This is where a psychologist can help. Can you think of when your life was pain free, how differently you felt? Maybe you can never remember ever having this feeling.
Psychological treatments that psychologists use have been found to assist individuals in improving their functioning and reducing the distress that is often associated with pain. How can psychology help with pain?
In many and varied ways here are just a few:
Assisting with processing painful thoughts, emotions and memories
Building coping skills
Changing beliefs and thoughts about pain
Teaching strategies for coping with pain such as awareness, relaxation techniques, mindfulness and meditation
Understanding the effects of pain in all the areas mentioned above
Assisting in helping you to manage anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions
Written by Anita Baills
[1] Australian Psychological Society https://psychweek.org.au/
[2] International Association for the Study of Pain www.iasp-pain.org
[3] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-disease/chronic-pain-in-australia/contents/summary
[4] Brunjes, G.B. (2010) Spiritual Pain and Suffering. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 11, 31-36.