挑战倍速朗读

If ‘Pain Is an Opinion,’ There Are Ways to Change Your Mind
By Austin Frakt
① One thing we tend to believe about pain, but is wrong, is that it always stems from a single, fixable source. Another is that pain is communicated from that source to our brains by “pain nerves.” That’s so wrong it’s called “the naïve view” by neuroscientists.
② In truth, pain is in our brain. Or as the author and neuroscientist V. S. Ramachandran put it, “Pain is an opinion.” We feel it because of how our brain interprets input transmitted to it from all our senses, not necessarily because of the inherent properties of the input itself.
③ According to many studies, the degree of pain is not a reliable indicator of the severity of injury. And sometimes there is pain without any tissue damage at all. Also, the fear or catastrophizing of pain contributes to a greater feeling of pain.
④ Pain is more like a conversation between the brain and the body. And like verbal conversations, it can be heated or calm. For example, pain can be lessened when we feel safe. Love, like safety, can also ease pain.
⑤ But it’s not a cure-all. We can’t think away all pain. “Understanding this complex relationship, along with re-engaging the body, is the first step toward loosening pain’s grip,” said Lorimer Moseley, a pain researcher at the University of South Australia.