The Pathology of Pain
The Western world has pathologized emotional experience, incessantly injecting the socio-cultural-economic system with (for lack of better term) “drugs” of escape. Stimulate up, depress down, drown the Self (literally!) in mindless scrolling, in comparing, in constant hustle and bustle—in distraction.
Anarchist perspective side note: The more we absorb the same sensory experience as everyone else, conforming to the same values, norms, standards, and expectations, the more we lose sight of our authentic, creative, unique Self always hiding beneath the surface of things.
We are coming out on the other side of decades of repressed tears, self-expression, righteous anger, and vulnerability—of repressed feeling. Our system is fueled by thoughts, analytic capacity, language and code-based communication, by excessive time spent in the mind (e.g., motionless on a computer). We have become overly identified with the contents of mind, and under-connected with the emotional substance of the human experience. Many of us have forgotten how to truly feel.
The Unity of All Spectrum
We have lost sight of the unity of all spectrum. What does this mean, the unity of all spectrum? It means that life cannot be total pleasure, total comfort, total happiness. If you want to give up discomfort, pain, sadness, anxiety, fear, and anger, you must sacrifice the true highs of life—the joy that comes from a life of meaning, of depth, of deep spiritual insight. You cannot greedily collect the highs without accepting the lows. The two poles of the spectrum come as a package, or not at all.
From the spiritual perspective, duality dissipates as the two poles reconnect in the circle of life, displaying a deep identity between all extremes: 0 = ∞, emptiness = form. The unitary fabric of being reigns supreme as the deeper truth veiled behind all apparent phenomena.
The Pathological and the Existential
There is nothing pathological about feeling debilitating depression when you lose a loved one. It would be pathological to be drugged numb.
There is nothing pathological about feeling manically outraged at being assaulted (at injustice).
There is nothing pathological about feeling extreme anxiety when stuck in a meaningless minimum-wage job.
There is nothing pathological about feeling guilty when taking an action out of line with our highest ideals.
Depression, anger, anxiety, guilt—these “negative” emotions are all painful. And our society has equated pain with negativity (that which should always be avoided).
Pathological belief: “You should never feel uncomfortable.”
Pain is existential, or an intrinsic component of existence (the first noble truth of Buddhism). Our true emotional responses to life must be felt to be processed. Push them away, run, avoid, and get stuck in the cycle of avoidance, i.e., dig a deeper and deeper hole until the overwhelm incentivizes an incessant, increasing drug stream. This “cycle of avoidance” is no different than hopping on the hedonic treadmill of requiring higher and higher drug dosages to maintain prior levels of numbing.
Anarchist perspective side note: The PhDs, MAs, and other-lettered folks of our culture love complex, fancy names for simple concepts (barriers to entry protecting delicate status). The cycle of avoidance and hedonic treadmill simply mean that we must confront our emotions (stop running) and be present to what our bodies are telling us.
Emotions are pointers, signposts—sacred guides to healing.
Western Healing: Analysis
The rational-analytical approach towards addressing the presented problem involves evaluating whether one's emotions are pathological (harmful, unrealistic, unjustified, and unhelpful) or existential (essential, justified, beneficial, and informative in guiding towards truth). Through understanding, cognition is slowly restructured, and actions aligned with confrontation of emotions are more easily undertaken. In a way, we use the mind to counter the mind and return to body.
See Appendix 1 at the end of this article for a breakdown of common “negative” emotions, and how they can be interpreted either pathologically or existentially.
Eastern Healing: Transcendence
We could spend a lifetime in rationalization, analysis, deconstruction—in attempting to “understand”. The Western pursuit is an endless series of deeper and deeper digging, of picking apart, of breaking down. An external analogy to the internal hunt for understanding is the endless scientific pursuit for the “god” particle, or the fundamental building blocks of existence. We have “progressed” from molecules to atoms to subatomic particles to strings (string theory), etc. Our deconstruction likely knows no end.
A lifetime of inner work in the West is eclipsed by a moment in the mystical East—by a single moment of transcendence of all “mind”-stuff (all patterns formed of past experience) that define a lifetime. Self-analysis and western therapeutic techniques can certainly be helpful and lead to greater feelings of contentment, yet analysis alone will not make you free.
We have already outlined how your discomfort is telling you something critically important. What if your body is telling you that something needs to change? And, more deeply, what if you are in a state of being where something always needs to change? What if, through a confluence of factors out of your control, an idea has been ingrained in your mind—an idea so powerful that it keeps you trapped in a prison of your own construction?
This insidious idea is a core driving force of extreme material excess, environmental rapacity, physical and emotional degradation, and spiritual deprivation. It is an idea subconsciously proliferated throughout media and culture, forming the backbone to the entire advertising and marketing sector of the world. What is this idea?
The idea that this moment is never enough. That you are never enough.
Freedom Beyond Time
How many of the emotions you run from derive from this deep, dark seed? Only you can find that out for yourself, and you could spend a lifetime doing so. Or, you can return to this moment, beyond thoughts, beliefs, assumptions, norms, expectations—and simply feel. Simply be. Simply let the rivers of emotions flow.
Perhaps, in the final analysis, our emotional experience is beyond the concept of truth and untruth, pathological and existential. Dualistic concepts are of the mind. But our emotions (what we feel) are our lives, are our experience of existence on this planet—they simply are. From the higher view of the timeless cosmos, emotions flow like a river, ever-contingent, ever-changing. Nothing lasts.
We could be stuck in patterned, repetitive cycles of “negative” emotions for years; years—a drop in the ocean of time. To be free is to enter the timeless and simply watch the flow of creation, of your life, of the only thing that is real: this moment, and this one, and this one. Come back to the present and find a peace transcending the machination of time, of emotions constructed on the remembrance of a past ever receded, of imaginings of futures never to come.
Spend a lifetime in analysis, or a moment in awakening to depths long forgotten.
Appendix 1: Emotional Transmutation
Anxiety
Feeling of unease or apprehension about an uncertain or potential future event.
Pathological: Can lead to excessive worry, rumination, or catastrophic thinking, interfere with daily functioning or relationships, and increase stress and tension.
Existential: Can serve as a signal to identify and address potential threats or challenges, motivate us to prepare or plan for the future, allow us to release our need for control, cultivating a sense of surrender and acceptance, and deepen our self-awareness and emotional regulation.
Anger
Strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility that arises in response to a perceived injustice, insult, or threat.
Pathological: Can lead to destructive or harmful behaviors, increase stress and tension, and damage relationships or communication.
Existential: Can serve as a healthy response to injustice or boundary violations, help us assert our needs and values, and motivate us to take action towards positive change.
Sadness
Feeling of sorrow or grief that results from loss, disappointment, or despair.
Pathological: Can lead to prolonged periods of depression, rumination, or hopelessness, and interfere with daily functioning or relationships.
Existential: Can serve as a natural and necessary response to loss or change, help us process and integrate difficult experiences, and deepen our capacity for empathy and compassion.
Shame
Feeling of humiliation or embarrassment that arises when one feels they have failed to meet expectations or violated social norms.
Pathological: Can lead to self-loathing, low self-esteem, and a sense of worthlessness, and interfere with healthy relationships and communication.
Existential: Can serve as a signal to realign our actions with our values or ethical standards, encourage us to take responsibility for our mistakes, and deepen our humility and sense of connectedness with others.
Guilt
Sense of remorse or self-reproach that arises when one believes they have violated a moral or ethical code.
Pathological: Can lead to self-punishment, self-blame, or self-destructive behaviors, and interfere with healthy relationships and self-acceptance.
Existential: Can serve as a healthy response to violating our own or others' values, encourage us to make amends or seek forgiveness, and deepen our capacity for empathy and moral responsibility.
Envy
Feeling of jealousy or resentment towards someone who possesses something one desires or admires.
Pathological: Can lead to feelings of inadequacy, bitterness, or negativity, and interfere with healthy relationships and communication.
Existential: Can serve as a signal to identify and pursue our own goals and aspirations, inspire us to learn from and appreciate others, and deepen our sense of gratitude and abundance.
Frustration
Feeling of being blocked or prevented from achieving a desired goal or outcome.
Pathological: Can lead to impatience, impulsivity, or irrational behavior, and interfere with problem-solving or effective communication.
Existential: Can serve as a healthy response to obstacles or challenges, motivate us to seek creative solutions, and deepen our resilience and determination.
Loneliness
Feeling of isolation or disconnectedness from others, often resulting from a lack of social support or companionship.
Pathological: Can lead to pathological depression, anxiety, or self-destructive behaviors, and interfere with healthy relationships and communication.
Existential: Can serve as a signal to seek out meaningful connections with others, deepen our self-awareness and self-acceptance, and cultivate our capacity for empathy and compassion.
Disgust
Feeling of revulsion or repulsion towards something that is perceived as unclean, unpleasant, or offensive.
Pathological: Can lead to prejudice, discrimination, or intolerance, and interfere with healthy relationships and communication.
Existential: Can serve as a healthy response to potential threats to our health or well-being, motivate us to seek out healthier or more ethical options, and deepen our sense of discernment and ethical awareness.
Fear
Feeling afraid or anxious about something that might harm or hurt us.
Pathological: Can lead to irrational beliefs or behaviors, avoidance of necessary risks, and excessive worry or panic.
Existential: Can serve as a useful warning signal, help us prepare for potential threats, and motivate us to take action to protect ourselves or others.