Emotional/Social Pain

[The Hammer]

"When people feel emotional pain, the same areas of the brain get activated as when people feel physical pain: the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex."

Emotional and Physical Pain Activate Similar Brain Regions

In order to get over grief, resolve anger, and even embrace happiness, we have to really feel those things in the body.

www.psychologytoday.com

"Although the brain does not process emotional pain and physical pain identically, research on neural pathways suggests there is substantial overlap between the experience of physical and social pain. The cascading events that occur and regions activated in our brains - and therefore our reactions to the acute pain - appear to be similar.."

Emotional & Physical Pain Are Almost The Same - To Your Brain

Rejection hurts. Whether you’ve been told ‘no thank you’ for a job opportunity, become estranged from a partner or friend, or even been unfollowed on a social media or dating site, your brain has to process being rejected. And neuroscience suggests that it literally - hurts.

www.forbes.com

Now, I would also extend this further and say that chronic pain is also felt similarly and not just acute pain. This seems like a common sense extension to me. And I think the first article actually touched on this.

So, why does it seem that societally we seem so dismissive of people's mental/emotional pains?

"It's not that bad.."

"Just wait, time heals.."

Etc.

We seem to think that, if we can't see it, it's not that bad. Even though we all feel these things through the same processes.

 

[idea]

Back when I was Mormon (so embarrassing to admit that), I learned socially acceptable pain, and what was not acceptable.

Acceptable: Childbirth, Cancer, Car accident, temporary job loss, sports related injuries - such would recieve food, attention, help with chores, sympathy

Unacceptable: Any kind of abuse, especially from male (child abuse ignored, blamed on wife). divorce, spouse with substance abuse, mental illness, any permanent disability. No assistance, you get shunned for such things.

Testimony meetings were always filled with *first world* problems. Real issues weren't allowed to be spoken.

 

[Spice]

"When people feel emotional pain, the same areas of the brain get activated as when people feel physical pain: the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex."

Emotional and Physical Pain Activate Similar Brain Regions

In order to get over grief, resolve anger, and even embrace happiness, we have to really feel those things in the body.

www.psychologytoday.com

"Although the brain does not process emotional pain and physical pain identically, research on neural pathways suggests there is substantial overlap between the experience of physical and social pain. The cascading events that occur and regions activated in our brains - and therefore our reactions to the acute pain - appear to be similar.."

Emotional & Physical Pain Are Almost The Same - To Your Brain

Rejection hurts. Whether you’ve been told ‘no thank you’ for a job opportunity, become estranged from a partner or friend, or even been unfollowed on a social media or dating site, your brain has to process being rejected. And neuroscience suggests that it literally - hurts.

www.forbes.com

Now, I would also extend this further and say that chronic pain is also felt similarly and not just acute pain. This seems like a common sense extension to me. And I think the first article actually touched on this.

So, why does it seem that societally we seem so dismissive of people's mental/emotional pains?

"It's not that bad.."

"Just wait, time heals.."

Etc.

We seem to think that, if we can't see it, it's not that bad. Even though we all feel these things through the same processes.

Perhaps because we're at a loss as to what can be done? And we're not trained on how to help:

I've had 2 medical professionals brush me off with "I'm sorry there's nothing I can do." when I was totally stressed out partially due to a prescription that I should have been taken off of. The prescription was the answer of another medical professional, a specialist, for a physical issue that couldn't be identified at the time. But was indeed a side-effect of a new medication that had not been registered as a possible side-effect. 8 years of this, and believe me, many, medical and non-medical, thought it was ALL "in my head." It was about 50/50, but getting the meds figured out didn't fully fix the damage.

Why can't doctors treat the entire patient anymore without shuffling them off to "specialists" before they have some idea of what kind of specialist is needed?

 

[Isabella Lecour]

So, why does it seem that societally we seem so dismissive of people's mental/emotional pains?

Because we are. Some societies are better at dealing with it than others. Some have different levels and different things of acceptable and unacceptable. I'm an American and it does feel like emotional pain is roundly dismissed by everybody. If it gets labeled that, it's meant to be gone away...ignored and you get told it's all in your head and it's your problem to fix. It like having emotions is a failure of character. It's bizarre.

 

[Ignatius A]

"When people feel emotional pain, the same areas of the brain get activated as when people feel physical pain: the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex."

Emotional and Physical Pain Activate Similar Brain Regions

In order to get over grief, resolve anger, and even embrace happiness, we have to really feel those things in the body.

www.psychologytoday.com

"Although the brain does not process emotional pain and physical pain identically, research on neural pathways suggests there is substantial overlap between the experience of physical and social pain. The cascading events that occur and regions activated in our brains - and therefore our reactions to the acute pain - appear to be similar.."

Emotional & Physical Pain Are Almost The Same - To Your Brain

Rejection hurts. Whether you’ve been told ‘no thank you’ for a job opportunity, become estranged from a partner or friend, or even been unfollowed on a social media or dating site, your brain has to process being rejected. And neuroscience suggests that it literally - hurts.

www.forbes.com

Now, I would also extend this further and say that chronic pain is also felt similarly and not just acute pain. This seems like a common sense extension to me. And I think the first article actually touched on this.

So, why does it seem that societally we seem so dismissive of people's mental/emotional pains?

"It's not that bad.."

"Just wait, time heals.."

Etc.

We seem to think that, if we can't see it, it's not that bad. Even though we all feel these things through the same processes.

Why? Because some people do use mental/emotional pains as an excuse for all kinds of things. There is no way to see it or measure it and no way to see what effect it has on people. Its not the same for everybody and different things cause different people different levels of mental/emotional pain.

 

[The Hammer]

Why? Because some people do use mental/emotional pains as an excuse for all kinds of things. There is no way to see it or measure it and no way to see what effect it has on people. Its not the same for everybody and different things cause different people different levels of mental/emotional pain.

True, which is why people should just be taken at face value until they prove otherwise imo. I'm in no place to judge.

 

[The Hammer]

Because we are. Some societies are better at dealing with it than others. Some have different levels and different things of acceptable and unacceptable. I'm an American and it does feel like emotional pain is roundly dismissed by everybody. If it gets labeled that, it's meant to be gone away...ignored and you get told it's all in your head and it's your problem to fix. It like having emotions is a failure of character. It's bizarre.

It is absolutely dismissed in US culture. Or at least even when acknowledged it's still displayed as a weakness of character. A person stressed/crying on screen is even called "a moment of weakness"

Moment of Weakness - TV Tropes

No protagonist is perfect. Every character brings their own unique flaws and difficulties to their role in a story. Often stories will be about a protagonist's struggles to overcome these flaws. However, whether they succeed or fail, many of them …

tvtropes.org

 

[The Hammer]

Perhaps because we're at a loss as to what can be done? And we're not trained on how to help:

You're not wrong, but I think maybe that's because a lot of us were not raised with the empathy we are capable of/deserve. We are all taught to build walls of separation. As opposed to connectedness.

I've had 2 medical professionals brush me off with "I'm sorry there's nothing I can do." when I was totally stressed out partially due to a prescription that I should have been taken off of. The prescription was the answer of another medical professional, a specialist, for a physical issue that couldn't be identified at the time. But was indeed a side-effect of a new medication that had not been registered as a possible side-effect. 8 years of this, and believe me, many, medical and non-medical, thought it was ALL "in my head." It was about 50/50, but getting the meds figured out didn't fully fix the damage.

Medical stuff is certainly tough. Especially, things like pain, and/or mental health impacts. And I don't know your gender, but I do know this happens more frequently to women than men.

Why can't doctors treat the entire patient anymore without shuffling them off to "specialists" before they have some idea of what kind of specialist is needed?

Ah. That's a whole different question. Mostly because your general practitioner doctor (your normal provider) goes to med school, but your specialist goes.to.med school, and then also spends years specializing in one area of expertise. Like a mechanic can fix your transmission and get it operating again, but a transmission specialist can take it apart, clean it and replace it like it was new.

 

[Ignatius A]

True, which is why people should just be taken at face value until they prove otherwise imo. I'm in no place to judge.

I disagree and its not judgement.

 

[The Hammer]

I disagree and its not judgement.

You can disagree all you want.

 

[Spice]

You're not wrong, but I think maybe that's because a lot of us were not raised with the empathy we are capable of/deserve. We are all taught to build walls of separation. As opposed to connectedness.

I was raised to be caring in heart and deed, but to not be a crutch, and it has served me well, though I had to learn "myself" and that costs was nearly everything.

Medical stuff is certainly tough. Especially, things like pain, and/or mental health impacts. And I don't know your gender, but I do know this happens more frequently to women than men.

I am female and the wake-up to the bias of medical personnel did hit with early on-set menopause. That's when I set my own bias and switched to female doctors, only, regardless of the issue. But even women physicians are not open-minded enough to ask the right questions according to the symptoms of the patient, I found.

Ah. That's a whole different question. Mostly because your general practitioner doctor (your normal provider) goes to med school, but your specialist goes.to.med school, and then also spends years specializing in one area of expertise. Like a mechanic can fix your transmission and get it operating again, but a transmission specialist can take it apart, clean it and replace it like it was new.

I definitely appreciate the specialist! But I was disheartened with Family Physician's increase in running conveyor-belt businesses. Get 'em in, call in a script, get 'em out for another 3 to 6 months.
But I made it to an age where now I know myself what's going on with my body -- I'm OLD! LOL LOL

And they listen to me now. If I say I have an infection, they take my word for it, run a stain if needed, write that script and tell me to let them know if I need another round. If they want to increase a dosage, I can say, nope, I know I need to X,Y,Z, so I'm taking enough. LOL

 

[Ignatius A]

You can disagree all you want.

I will and you can make all the claims you want. The fact is mental/emotional pain is real but it's unmeasurable and is easily abused. These days just words supposedly cause people mental/emotional pain and we have to make sure we don't hurt anyone's feelings. It's just a way to try and shame people into silence. It's BS

 

[The Hammer]

I will and you can make all the claims you want. The fact is mental/emotional pain is real but it's unmeasurable and is easily abused. These days just words supposedly cause people mental/emotional pain and we have to make sure we don't hurt anyone's feelings. It's just a way to try and shame people into silence. It's BS

Ok.
Edited: Your opinion has been noted.

 

[Ignatius A]

Ok.
Edited: Your opinion has been noted.

It's fact unless you can prove it wrong

 

[F1fan]

So, why does it seem that societally we seem so dismissive of people's mental/emotional pains?

"It's not that bad.."

"Just wait, time heals.."

Etc.

We seem to think that, if we can't see it, it's not that bad. Even though we all feel these things through the same processes.

I wonder if it is a sort of helplessness. Others love to help those in need, and usually it's easy to give aid, like clearing storm damage, or donating for a cause. When people are in emotional pain there's no tangible way to help. I think that could be distressing to those who want to solve the problem of emotional pain, and there's nothing to do. The quotes you site above could be more to cope with helplessness than an attempt to help.

 

[The Hammer]

It's fact unless you can prove it wrong

Ok.

As I've mentioned elsewhere I've got no intentions of debating you. Yo lost that privilege.

 

[The Hammer]

I wonder if it is a sort of helplessness. Others love to help those in need, and usually it's easy to give aid, like clearing storm damage, or donating for a cause. When people are in emotional pain there's no tangible way to help. I think that could be distressing to those who want to solve the problem of emotional pain, and there's nothing to do. The quotes you site above could be more to cope with helplessness than an attempt to help.

That's why I mentioned to another person, that we aren't necessarily taught how to be empathetic to those who are in emotional distress. It's a cultural thing here, we expect people to "just deal with it". But I could be biased by my own experiences.

 

[Ignatius A]

Ok.

As I've mentioned elsewhere I've got no intentions of debating you. Yo lost that privilege.

It didn't turn out well for you before so I get it.

 

[F1fan]

That's why I mentioned to another person, that we aren't necessarily taught how to be empathetic to those who are in emotional distress. It's a cultural thing here, we expect people to "just deal with it". But I could be biased by my own experiences.

There are definately cold people in the world who lack empathy. Sociopaths have a genetic defect. And it's a good point that we shun emotional freedom to such a degree that we avoid showing it, and avoid learning how it affects ourselves and others in a social context. The exprience of dealing with others in distress and pain is less prevalent in adulthood, for sure. I remember being in college and you could cry and get away with it.

 

[The Hammer]

There are definately cold people in the world who lack empathy. Sociopaths have a genetic defect. And it's a good point that we shun emotional freedom to such a degree that we avoid showing it, and avoid learning how it affects ourselves and others in a social context. The exprience of dealing with others in distress and pain is less prevalent in adulthood, for sure. I remember being in college and you could cry and get away with it.

"Concern and care for others’ feelings are virtues we seek to instill in our children, yet they are sorely lacking in many adult Americans today. There’s scientific research to back up the notion that Americans are caring less for others and more about themselves. Our guest is Sara Konrath, PhD, an associate professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University and director of the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research. We’ll be exploring why empathy is declining and what we can do to create more kindness and caring in our communities."

The decline of empathy and the rise of narcissism, with Sara Konrath, PhD

There’s scientific research to back up the notion that Americans are caring less for others and more about themselves. This podcast explores why empathy is declining and what we can do to create more kindness and caring in our communities.

www.apa.org