Physical pain as compared to psychological pain

[jackson6612]

How do you compare physical pain with psychological pain? Which one is more intense and damaging?

I think it's psychological. It's hard for others to comprehend unless they have been through it. But when someone sees blood they can imagine the pain. But when soul is wounded, it internal bleeding of voiceless pain which can only be felt and heard by you.

That brings us to another question. While physical wound can be healed or cured even if patient is in coma. How can a psychologist heal someone's psychological wound? If one has lost all his family in a car accident, then there is nothing some other person can do except to try to as sympathetic and understanding as one could be. If a psychologist could, then so could a clergy man, or a rational person for that matter.

Please let me heat what you have to say on this. Thanks.

 

[Danger]

Tough question, because of the overlap. Either one can at least partially manifest itself as the other. Anyone who is willing to listen without expressing a judgement is a good therapist, regardless of training.

 

[jackson6612]

Your opinion, please.

 

[turbo]

There are more options. I suffered a brain-stem stroke over 10 years ago. My right foot burns constantly. My neurologist told me that if my right leg was cut off, I would still experience the burning for the rest of my life because the defect is in my brain-stem, and not anyplace "real" in the rest of my body. It's not fun. It's not psychological, but physiological, although most people wouldn't understand the distinction.

 

[jackson6612]

Hi Turbo

I hope this will get better soon. We all have our share of pain.

Yes, there is a distinction between physiological and psychological pain. Physiological one is more close to physical.

I wish you good health and prosperity.

 

[turbo]

Hi Turbo

I hope this will get better soon. We all have our share of pain.

Yes, there is a distinction between physiological and psychological pain. Physiological one is more close to physical.

I wish you good health and prosperity.

Thanks, Jackson. This one has 0% chance of going away, and I'll live with it. Neurological injury is odd in that normal physical cause-and-effect can seem to be absent.

 

[Pythagorean]

Case by case, some pains can be really debilitating whether psych or phys, but they can both be shrugged off too

 

[Danger]

Your opinion, please.

That was my opinion; weren't you paying attention? :grumpy:

I agree with both Turbo and the Python. People who undergo amputation typically experience what is called "phantom pain", wherein they can still feel a limb that is no longer there. That is due to the sensory pathways to that limb being "corrupted" in that they sort of short-circuit and send signals back to the brain that indicate the continued presence of the appendage. That is a very poorly articulated explanation, but the best that I can offer right now. Regardless, it coincides with the situation that Turbo is in. The brain interprets pain based solely upon the immediate inputs that it experiences. If you electrically stimulate the pain receptors of the brain, with no physical harm whatsoever, it's still going to hurt like hell.
Alternatively, on the side of Python, the brain has incredible power over the body. As a "for instance", I never take pain pills for anything other than Ibuprophen for headaches. That's the only pain that I can't think around. I had to play an entire baseball tournament with a broken finger about 15 years ago. All that I did was sit in the sidelines for a few minutes before each game and tell myself that anything that I would normally feel as pain would manifest itself as heat. Sure enough, I got a good piece of aluminum on the ball, and all that I felt was my finger warming up a bit.
I've had all kinds of breaks, sprains, dislocations, whatever... and they don't particularly bother me. I honestly don't know whether that is because I enjoy pain or because I just don't give a ****.
Okay, this is probably getting too intense for the forum, so I'm going to bail now. Sorry.

 

[jackson6612]

That was my opinion; weren't you paying attention? :grumpy:

Sorry. I was simply asking for more opinions. Though, I do apologize for not thanking you first before I went to ask for more!

 

[Danger]

Sorry. I was simply asking for more opinions. Though, I do apologize for not thanking you first before I went to ask for more!

Cool, dude. A misunderstanding on my part. I tend to be a bit defensive when drinking. Sorry for the uncivilized response.