Category: Pain

Pain. A broken limb, a failing grade, a shattered relationship, or a “Closed on Sundays” sign at the Chick-fil-A drive-thru. Pain can be experienced in a multitude of ways. It’s never fun at the time, and it leaves you longing for one thing, comfort. It is in this cycle that so many people can find themselves trapped. They feel pain, they seek comfort; wash, rinse, repeat. Many begin to program themselves to receive a steady intake of minor comforts throughout the day to mitigate any potential pain that comes their way. Simultaneously they begin to decrease their tolerance for pain, while increasing their need for comfort. The very comforts they pursue begin to fuel the pain they feel in the first place. Alcohol was supposed to relieve the stress from work. Social Media was supposed to alleviate my loneliness. More money was supposed to make the anxiety go away. Why isn’t it working?

The answer does not rest simply in our understanding of ...