Date : 30.05.2007
Time : 1:20 p.m.
I had another migraine attack last afternoon, and was a trifle held down by dehydration cramps today. What I felt on both occasions made me remember the complaints of people I know about the pains afflicting them, and set in motion a train of thought regarding the manner in which human beings respond to pain. How a person reacts to the perception of pain depends on the nature of pain, that is, whether it is acute, chronic or periodic, and also whether it is an agony felt by the body or the mind.
Pain is universal and omnipresent. Every living creature feels pain during its lifetime — it may be pin pricks, chemical shocks or high temperature for primitive forms, or a cut or a blow felt by humans. When a person encounters pain owing to bodily injury or illness, the sensation of pain takes precedence over all other senses and plunges the body into a defensive mode, one in which the natural self tries to restore order by locating the stimulus and taking measures to deal with it effectively. This involves millions of ‘little grey cells’ or neurons which, acting as though they have a mind of their own, send forth little sparks of electricity that control the individual’s reaction. Of course, it would be sheer naïveté to believe that it is as simple as that. However, somehow, the person manages to ‘deal with’ the pain, its amelioration being the result of sheer will or the action of analgesics, whatever may be the case.
Another form of pain is emotional or mental in origin, and when it grips a person, it seems to completely drain a person of will and motivation, sapping all the energy that allows him or her to face each day with energy. It is a slow, throbbing and lingering ache which hinders the human being, preventing him or her from taking pleasure in daily activities, silently reducing the individual to a mere shadow, a mere echo that turns away from all that gave joy in the past. Nothing appears to be able to alleviate matters and the person lets despondency rule, sinks into a quiet gloom and withers away while withdrawing from others, from humanity and from life itself.
In both these cases, even if it is for a moment, it feels as though the world has come to a standstill. At these moments, all one can feel is the excruciating pain — a pain that seems insurmountable, unbearable and unconquerable. After a while though, one gets accustomed to it. Perhaps the pain gets dulled with the passage of time. Perhaps it is because of the pretence of bravery, an attempt to ‘save face’ in public. Perhaps, a person simply stops being aware of the pain. Whatever the reason, one moves on, or convinces oneself that one has.
End : 1:50 p.m.
Time : 1:20 p.m.
I had another migraine attack last afternoon, and was a trifle held down by dehydration cramps today. What I felt on both occasions made me remember the complaints of people I know about the pains afflicting them, and set in motion a train of thought regarding the manner in which human beings respond to pain. How a person reacts to the perception of pain depends on the nature of pain, that is, whether it is acute, chronic or periodic, and also whether it is an agony felt by the body or the mind.
Pain is universal and omnipresent. Every living creature feels pain during its lifetime — it may be pin pricks, chemical shocks or high temperature for primitive forms, or a cut or a blow felt by humans. When a person encounters pain owing to bodily injury or illness, the sensation of pain takes precedence over all other senses and plunges the body into a defensive mode, one in which the natural self tries to restore order by locating the stimulus and taking measures to deal with it effectively. This involves millions of ‘little grey cells’ or neurons which, acting as though they have a mind of their own, send forth little sparks of electricity that control the individual’s reaction. Of course, it would be sheer naïveté to believe that it is as simple as that. However, somehow, the person manages to ‘deal with’ the pain, its amelioration being the result of sheer will or the action of analgesics, whatever may be the case.
Another form of pain is emotional or mental in origin, and when it grips a person, it seems to completely drain a person of will and motivation, sapping all the energy that allows him or her to face each day with energy. It is a slow, throbbing and lingering ache which hinders the human being, preventing him or her from taking pleasure in daily activities, silently reducing the individual to a mere shadow, a mere echo that turns away from all that gave joy in the past. Nothing appears to be able to alleviate matters and the person lets despondency rule, sinks into a quiet gloom and withers away while withdrawing from others, from humanity and from life itself.
In both these cases, even if it is for a moment, it feels as though the world has come to a standstill. At these moments, all one can feel is the excruciating pain — a pain that seems insurmountable, unbearable and unconquerable. After a while though, one gets accustomed to it. Perhaps the pain gets dulled with the passage of time. Perhaps it is because of the pretence of bravery, an attempt to ‘save face’ in public. Perhaps, a person simply stops being aware of the pain. Whatever the reason, one moves on, or convinces oneself that one has.
End : 1:50 p.m.
4 comments:
the last line is beautiful....
but you know,pain teaches to tolerate...that no matter how tough the going gets,good times beckon...
Very well written...and as little boxes has already said the last line is beatiful...
Er thanks everyone. However, to be honest, I hate this post. It's boring and it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. I was waiting to see whether anyone would notice all that. But you people are too polite! The last line is the only sort-of-okay one, me thinks.
Still, thank you for being polite!
What of the third?
Perhaps the person has started enjoying physical pain while reducing his immunity to mental pain?
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