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A breakthrough in chronic pain relief
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen might have discovered a cure.
05 May, 2020
Photo by Jesper Aggergaard on Unsplash
<ul class="ee-ul"></ul>
<p>Pain is all in your head—specifically, your nervous system. We all know about acute pain. Stub your toe or place your hand on a hot stove and the signals to your brain are immediate.</p><p>Interestingly, a small group of people suffer from congenital analgesia—they <em>never</em> feel pain. While this might sound nice, this condition means you're more likely to die because you can't tell when your body needs attention. Burn injuries are more common. People who suffer from this also tend to partake in more extreme sports, which also increases their risk of death. </p><p>Pain is a signal that something is wrong. Sometimes this system is thwarted in the opposite direction as well. Chronic pain results due to inflammation or dysfunctional nerves. An estimated 7-10 percent of the world's population suffers from this condition, with over three million cases in the US every year. While a few treatments could alleviate chronic pain—cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback, massage, mindfulness meditation, or electrical stimulation—there is currently no cure. </p>
How Meditation Can Manage Chronic Pain and Stress | Daniel Goleman
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="003f88caa581ddd99ae8bdae9fd40e8e"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yAd-JGbaRp8?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>A <a href="https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.15252/emmm.201911248" target="_blank">new study</a> at the University of Copenhagen might have uncovered a breakthrough in chronic pain relief. Published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, researchers achieved complete pain relief in a group of mice by using a compound, Tat-P4-(C5)2, that was produced after a decade of development. </p><p>According to the team, this peptide only targets dysfunctional nerves causing the pain. In previous studies the team discovered it also helps reduce addiction. These two uses are not separate: chronic pain often leads to opioid addiction. By reducing pain, dependency on pain relievers may also be reduced. </p><p>So far, co-author Kenneth L. Madsen, Associate Professor at the Department of Neuroscience in Copenhagen, says there have been no side effects. Pain medicine often results in lethargic states, a condition not observed in the mice. Madsen hopes to turn this discovery into a business model. </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Now, our next step is to work towards testing the treatment on people. The goal, for us, is to develop a drug, therefore the plan is to establish a biotech company as soon as possible so we can focus on this."</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzIyMDQxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNzQ1NzM5MH0.OBdoy9dK44RX3yzChtS0-kIjBYuQm-zfgX3Wrv8PtaI/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C26%2C0%2C78&height=700" id="a9ad0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4d86821bd57ad5e027e0cf11cc53db5d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Oxycodone pain" />
Oxycodone pain pills prescribed for a patient with chronic pain lie on display on March 23, 2016 in Norwich, CT. On March 15, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), announced guidelines for doctors to reduce the amount of opioid painkillers prescribed, in an effort to curb the epidemic.
Photo by John Moore/Getty Images
<p>Chronic pain is most often prevalent in the back, muscles, bones, neck, joints, and face. Associated problems include headache, sleeping problems, fatigue, and anxiety. It has been known to last anywhere from weeks to years. Other factors that lead to chronic pain include diabetes and psychological factors, such as anxiety or depression.</p><p>Self-care treatments include regular physical exercise, stress management techniques, and relaxation. A combination of cardiovascular exercise, strength training, yoga, and meditation can help mitigate chronic pain. Of course, depending on pain location and severity, some of these interventions might not be tenable. </p><p>Besides the above treatments, there are pharmaceutical interventions, such as analgesics and narcotics. The problem, as the researchers note, is the addiction that follows. These drugs do not cure the problem. They only mask symptoms. Long-term side effects sometimes turn out worse than the pain itself. </p><p>Human trials will be next in the development of this peptide. There is always the possibility that it reacts differently in humans. Still, this is a positive step forward that could help millions of people find relief from one of the most frustrating and debilitating conditions known.</p><p> --</p><p><em>Stay in touch with Derek on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. His next book is</em> "Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy."</p>
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What your morning coffee really does to your brain
Your morning coffee is good for you - if you drink it at the right time.
05 May, 2020
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
- Caffeine, the main stimulant found in coffee, works on a chemical level to give you energy by replacing the biochemical adenosine, which makes you tired.
- There are many health benefits to caffeine, such as a boost in metabolism and an increase in physical performance/muscle strength.
- To get the most positive impacts of your daily caffeine intake, drink coffee between 10 in the morning and 12 noon or between 2 in the afternoon and 5 in the evening.
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/beverages/coffee/coffee_consumption_around_the_world.html" target="_blank">International Coffee Organization</a> (ICO), the world pours about 1.4 billion cups of coffee per day. This might explain why you rely so heavily on your Keurig every morning or why you stop at Starbucks on the way to work even though you're already running late.</p><p>How does your morning coffee really impact your brain? Most importantly, are there certain times of the day where your latte-caffeine boost is better for your health?</p><ul class="ee-ul"></ul>
Your brain on coffee
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1b7784d7ec18a202dd02c5c97e1499d4"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4YOwEqGykDM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-caffeine" target="_blank">Caffeine</a>, the main stimulant in coffee, works on a chemical level to give you a boost of energy. However, caffeine is structurally similar to another chemical naturally created in the body, called <a href="https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1067/adenosine" target="_blank">adenosine</a>, which makes you tired.</p><p>Some substances imitate natural neurotransmitters and can take their place in receptors. For example, morphine can bind to the receptors in the brain meant for your endorphins (which is a natural kind of 'morphine' produced by your brain). </p><p><strong>Caffeine replaces adenosine, which builds your adrenaline and causes dopamine to linger longer.</strong></p><p>Similar to how morphine binds to endorphin receptors, the caffeine in your morning coffee binds to your brain's adenosine receptors, preventing the biochemical from making you tired. </p><p>Caffeine also builds your adrenaline supply which increases your heart rate and allows blood to pump faster. At the same time, caffeine prevents dopamine from being reabsorbed into your system, which allows it to linger in the brain for a longer amount of time, causing you to feel it's positive effects (such as happiness) for a longer amount of time. </p><p>This lingering of dopamine is what often triggers the brain to crave more caffeine. After all, while dopamine itself <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-who-stray/201701/no-dopamine-is-not-addictive" target="_blank">isn't inherently addictive</a>, it does play a large role in many addictions. </p><p><strong>More coffee means more adenosine receptors which means more coffee...</strong></p><p>The brain is a complex and intricate system. The more coffee you drink, the more adenosine receptors are formed, meaning it can take more coffee to keep you awake now than it did when you started drinking coffee as a young adult. </p><p><strong>According to<a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2390099/overdosing-caffeine" target="_blank">research</a>, caffeine has a half-life of around 6 hours. </strong></p><p>Within the first 10 minutes, the caffeine enters your bloodstream and is pumped throughout your body, causing an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. </p><p>Up to 20 minutes after intake, caffeine binds to the adenosine receptors, neutralizing fatigue. Dopamine levels increase and linger, which provides the drinker with an alert and focused feeling. </p><p>Within 30 minutes, your adrenal glands shift into high gear and begin producing more hormones. During this time your vision may become sharper due to your pupils dilating. </p><p>Within 40 minutes, your body begins producing more serotonin, which improves the neuron function within your spinal cord - this leads to improved coordination and muscle strength. </p><p>After 4 hours, your metabolism increases, which is why you burn energy faster. Your body begins to break down stored fats during this time. </p><p>Within 6 hours, the liquid coffee has gone through your system and you will likely feel the urge to urinate, during which time approximately half the caffeine you consumed is expelled. </p>How to make your coffee habit benefit you
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzIxMTYwMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTg1MDUzMH0.WurPbO0oMxESAMOAyKVawD9TfwtYQhmmF0VjgWhXX7w/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C72%2C0%2C72&height=700" id="cca79" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3a409121a158d78aba0b22335d00f702" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="concept of coffee time coffee cup on blank background with clock" />What time of day you drink your coffee can mean the difference between a good habit and a bad habit.
Photo by bluehand on Shutterstock
<p>Of course, with anything caffeinated, moderation is key. When consumed in excess, caffeine can cause anxiety, heart palpitations, and sleeping problems.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/too-much-caffeine/" target="_blank">Consumer Reports</a>, up to 400mg of caffeine per day (which equals two to four 8 ounce cups) can be part of a healthy diet, however anything over 600mg per day is too much. </p><p><strong>What are the health benefits of coffee? </strong></p><p>Despite what you may have been told, there are several ways your daily caffeine intake is good for you. Not only can coffee improve your energy levels, but it can cause your brain to function <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee#section1" target="_blank">at optimal levels</a>, making you smarter. </p><p><u>Some other health benefits of coffee include: </u></p><ul><li>Boosting your metabolism</li><li>Improving your physical performance </li><li>Helping you with your nutrient intake (the vitamins B2, B3, B5, manganese, and potassium are all found in coffee)</li><li>Lowering your risk of developing type 2 diabetes</li><li>Helping fight depression symptoms and make you happier </li><li>Providing a source of antioxidants </li></ul><p><strong>Consuming caffeine when cortisol levels are high decreases the health benefits.</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol" target="_blank">Cortisol</a>, a naturally-occurring stress hormone, has a very distinct circadian rhythm that is regulated by the brain's central pacemaker. Interrupting this rhythm can lead to metabolic abnormalities, fatigue, and poor quality of life, according to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19223520" target="_blank">a 2009 study</a> published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. </p><p>Consuming caffeine when your cortisol levels are at a natural peak can lead to interference in the production of cortisol and an increase in your tolerance, which can impact your response to stress and will cause to you need more and more caffeine as time goes on.</p><p><strong>When is the best time to drink coffee?</strong></p><p>The cortisol levels in your body are at a natural peak three times per day, one of which is in the early morning. According to <a href="https://time.com/3903826/coffee-early-morning-worst-time/" target="_blank">this article in Time Magazine</a>, the best times to drink coffee (or ingest caffeine) are between 10 in the morning and 12 noon, and then again between 2 in the afternoon and 5 in the evening. </p><p>This will allow your brain to make the most of your caffeine surge, as it's not replacing any other important functions, such as the cortisol release that naturally happens several times per day. </p>
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Kate the Chemist: Water is a freak substance. Here’s why.
Dr. Kate Biberdorf explains why boiling water makes it safer and how water molecules are unusual and cool.
01 May, 2020
- University of Texas professor and science entertainer Kate the Chemist joined Big Think to talk about water molecules and to answer two interesting and important questions: Why does boiling water make it safe to drink, and what happens to water when you boil or freeze it?
- According to Kate, when water is heated to a certain temperature (100°C/ 212°F) the hydrogen bonds break and it goes from a liquid to a gas state. Boiling for a minimum of 5 minutes kills any viruses and bacteria that were in the water.
- "Water is a freak and so it is one of my favorite molecules ever," Kate says. "It has these unique properties and we are surrounded by it constantly. We also are made of water. We have to drink water to survive...It's a really, really fun molecule to investigate."
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The growth of an organism rides on a pattern of waves
Study shows ripples across a newly fertilized egg are similar to ocean and atmospheric circulations.
25 March, 2020
Getty Images / Handout
When an egg cell of almost any sexually reproducing species is fertilized, it sets off a series of waves that ripple across the egg's surface.
<p> These waves are produced by billions of activated proteins that surge through the egg's membrane like streams of tiny burrowing sentinels, signaling the egg to start dividing, folding, and dividing again, to form the first cellular seeds of an organism.</p><p>Now MIT scientists have taken a detailed look at the pattern of these waves, produced on the surface of starfish eggs. These eggs are large and therefore easy to observe, and scientists consider starfish eggs to be representative of the eggs of many other animal species.</p><p>In each egg, the team introduced a protein to mimic the onset of fertilization, and recorded the pattern of waves that rippled across their surfaces in response. They observed that each wave emerged in a spiral pattern, and that multiple spirals whirled across an egg's surface at a time. Some spirals spontaneously appeared and swirled away in opposite directions, while others collided head-on and immediately disappeared.</p>
<p>The behavior of these swirling waves, the researchers realized, is similar to the waves generated in other, seemingly unrelated systems, such as the vortices in quantum fluids, the circulations in the atmosphere and oceans, and the electrical signals that propagate through the heart and brain.</p><p>"Not much was known about the dynamics of these surface waves in eggs, and after we started analyzing and modeling these waves, we found these same patterns show up in all these other systems," says physicist Nikta Fakhri, the Thomas D. and Virginia W. Cabot Assistant Professor at MIT. "It's a manifestation of this very universal wave pattern."</p><p>"It opens a completely new perspective," adds Jörn Dunkel, associate professor of mathematics at MIT. "You can borrow a lot of techniques people have developed to study similar patterns in other systems, to learn something about biology."</p><p>Fakhri and Dunkel have published their results today in the journal <em>Nature Physics.</em> Their co-authors are Tzer Han Tan, Jinghui Liu, Pearson Miller, and Melis Tekant of MIT.</p>
<h3>Finding one's center</h3><p>Previous studies have shown that the fertilization of an egg immediately activates Rho-GTP, a protein within the egg which normally floats around in the cell's cytoplasm in an inactive state. Once activated, billions of the protein rise up out of the cytoplasm's morass to attach to the egg's membrane, snaking along the wall in waves.</p><p>"Imagine if you have a very dirty aquarium, and once a fish swims close to the glass, you can see it," Dunkel explains. "In a similar way, the proteins are somewhere inside the cell, and when they become activated, they attach to the membrane, and you start to see them move."</p><p>Fakhri says the waves of proteins moving across the egg's membrane serve, in part, to organize cell division around the cell's core.</p><p>"The egg is a huge cell, and these proteins have to work together to find its center, so that the cell knows where to divide and fold, many times over, to form an organism," Fakhri says. "Without these proteins making waves, there would be no cell division."</p><p><img alt="" src="http://news.mit.edu/sites/mit.edu.newsoffice/files/images/egg-waves-2_0.gif"></p><p><em>MIT researchers observe ripples across a newly fertilized egg that are similar to other systems, from ocean and atmospheric circulations to quantum fluids. Courtesy of the researchers.</em></p><p>In their study, the team focused on the active form of Rho-GTP and the pattern of waves produced on an egg's surface when they altered the protein's concentration.</p><p>For their experiments, they obtained about 10 eggs from the ovaries of starfish through a minimally invasive surgical procedure. They introduced a hormone to stimulate maturation, and also injected fluorescent markers to attach to any active forms of Rho-GTP that rose up in response. They then observed each egg through a confocal microscope and watched as billions of the proteins activated and rippled across the egg's surface in response to varying concentrations of the artificial hormonal protein.</p><p>"In this way, we created a kaleidoscope of different patterns and looked at their resulting dynamics," Fakhri says.</p>
<h3>Hurricane track</h3><p>The researchers first assembled black-and-white videos of each egg, showing the bright waves that traveled over its surface. The brighter a region in a wave, the higher the concentration of Rho-GTP in that particular region. For each video, they compared the brightness, or concentration of protein from pixel to pixel, and used these comparisons to generate an animation of the same wave patterns.</p><p>From their videos, the team observed that waves seemed to oscillate outward as tiny, hurricane-like spirals. The researchers traced the origin of each wave to the core of each spiral, which they refer to as a "topological defect." Out of curiosity, they tracked the movement of these defects themselves. They did some statistical analysis to determine how fast certain defects moved across an egg's surface, and how often, and in what configurations the spirals popped up, collided, and disappeared.</p>
<p>In a surprising twist, they found that their statistical results, and the behavior of waves in an egg's surface, were the same as the behavior of waves in other larger and seemingly unrelated systems.</p><p>"When you look at the statistics of these defects, it's essentially the same as vortices in a fluid, or waves in the brain, or systems on a larger scale," Dunkel says. "It's the same universal phenomenon, just scaled down to the level of a cell."</p><p>The researchers are particularly interested in the waves' similarity to ideas in quantum computing. Just as the pattern of waves in an egg convey specific signals, in this case of cell division, quantum computing is a field that aims to manipulate atoms in a fluid, in precise patterns, in order to translate information and perform calculations.</p><p>"Perhaps now we can borrow ideas from quantum fluids, to build minicomputers from biological cells," Fakhri says. "We expect some differences, but we will try to explore [biological signaling waves] further as a tool for computation."</p><p>This research was supported, in part, by the James S. McDonnell Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.</p><p>Reprinted with permission of <a href="http://news.mit.edu/" target="_blank">MIT News</a>. Read the <a href="http://news.mit.edu/2020/growth-organism-waves-0323" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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Increasing numbers of people are in pain. How do we cope?
A new study reminds us that physical and emotional pain are not far apart.
29 January, 2020
Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
- Physical and emotional pain are not that distinct, given that both are routed through a single brain region.
- A new study at NYU shows that physical pain can lessen the effects of depression and emotional duress.
- Holistic methods for dealing with both physical and emotional pain should be considered.
<p>Pain is one of the most confusing aspects of human physiology. From an evolutionary perspective, pain is either a signal that something is wrong (broken bone; stomachache) or a cautionary tale informing us to not repeat an activity (touching a hot stove). Pain often resolves when the noxious stimulus is removed—the form of pain related to tissue damage. Then we enter the world of emotional pain, which itself is intimately related to physical pain.</p><p>Let's begin with the physical. You stub your toe, immediately sending a signal up your spinal cord to your frontal anterior cingular cortex (ACC), which assess the meaning of this pain. The ACC plays an important role in error detection, noting the distance between what you expected (you were walking to the bathroom) and what occurred (your foot caught the edge of your bed frame because you were staring at your phone). Tissue damage has indeed occurred. It hurts. </p><p>An interesting study placed subjects in a brain scanner tossing a ball with two other (virtual) people. After a while, those players decide to stop throwing to you. You've been outcast and the rejection stings. Your ACC activates. As Robert Sapolsky <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Behave-Biology-Humans-Best-Worst/dp/0143110918?SubscriptionId=AKIAJGTABWIBL2VADPUA&tag=bigthink00-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=0143110918" target="_blank">writes</a>, "as far those neurons in the ACC are concerned, social and literal pain are the same."</p><p>The ACC activates when you get an electric shock. Incredibly, if you watch a friend get shocked, the same region fires. We call this empathy, the ability to perceive what another is feeling, yet this goes a step further: you actually <em>feel</em> their pain. Sapolsky notes that both dread and depression can be physically felt. <a href="https://news.utexas.edu/2014/07/31/ibuprofen-relieves-womens-hurt-feelings-not-mens/" target="_blank">Research has shown</a> that ibuprofen alleviates emotional pain as well (in women, at least).</p><p> Pain management is one of the hardest aspects of medicine. Diagnosing disease from the perspective of pain alone is challenging. When I broke my femur the emergency room doctor knew exactly what had happened. Yet how many different ailments begin with a stomachache or a headache? </p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="04a15ee17721e900e92ca2a5fdd45b08"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c6puQL1IQYY?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Then there's our relationship to pain. We live in the most comfortable age in the history of our species. We're also under the illusion that a pill can dissolve pain, be it physical or emotional, by blocking neurotransmission of specific chemicals. Pain alleviation is a great feature of modern medicine, yet when you create a society expectant of constant relief you cheat its citizens from important lessons about the nature of physiology. Many of our pain relief efforts, from antidepressants to aspirin, are driven by profit maximization, not compassion.</p><p>While a number of techniques for alleviating pain exist, without an honest and open discussion about the nature of pain people find their own methods. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-52189-001" target="_blank"><em>Emotion</em></a> has found that the intentional onset of physical pain (cutting, for example) helps people deal with emotional distress. It also clues us in to the conceptual world of pain. </p><p>Ashley Doukas at NYU Langone Health conducted this research after she studied body-based coping mechanisms such as deep breathing and smiling. The clinical instructor says, </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"I became interested in the topic of pain because a great deal of the literature on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) indicates that one reason people engage in self-injurious behavior is to regulate extreme emotional states."</p><p>Doukas noticed that even healthy controls felt better emotionally after experiencing physical pain. It's hard for your brain to focus on two forms of pain simultaneously. On top of this is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2248601/" target="_blank">hormesis</a>, an internal form of vaccination: a little bit of a toxin makes you stronger. In exercise studies, this is similar to purposefully tearing your muscles after lifting weights, a process that ultimately makes them stronger. The neurological reaction runs parallel: while you struggle with increasing loads during workouts, you feel better for hours after (if not a bit sore). </p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjYyOTAyNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0ODcwMjYwM30.Ph85SPYsW-jODuDEl8ADdZHtNLMuQ5UMld-f8IrZVrk/img.jpg?width=980" id="d5992" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="41715c8079b4cc867ab409301185738e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Nick Kyrgios of Australia feels the pain during his fourth round match against Rafael Nadal of Spain on day eight of the 2020 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 27, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.
Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images
<p>For the study, Doukas and team recruited 60 test subjects to look at upsetting images. They were then provided with four methods of coping, two cognitive and two physical. The cognitive methods were distracting yourself with another thought or mentally changing the meaning of the image. As for physical means, subjects could self-administer an electric shock, either painful or painless.</p><p>Over the course of 16 trials, two-thirds (67.5 percent) of volunteers self-administered at least one painful electric shock. The average was two per person, with 13 being at the high end. Doukas hopes that this information helps to de-stigmatize those who purposefully engage in painful behavior to deal with emotional duress. </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"While of course we do not want people to put themselves at risk for infection or accidental death, the fact is that human beings use pain to manage their emotions all the time — think of an intense massage to relax, and putting extra hot sauce on tacos to make them more intense and enjoyable. While the injurious aspect of NSSI can be alarming to many, the infliction of pain on oneself may not be inherently pathological, and may actually be making good use of some basic biological responses to pain, such as endorphins."</p><p>We often discuss the brain-body connection as if they're separate domains. We can actually witness the workings of that connection in the form of our nervous system. Everyone recognizes that injury can lead to depression while heartache can result in the manifestation of physical disease. If cutting seems a strange choice for dealing with stress or anxiety, remember that for roughly 2,000 years bloodletting was the go-to by doctors for a variety of ailments. </p><p>This is not a call for sanctioned cutting. We know that in most cases draining blood from your body is the opposite of healing. Yet we're also aware that the distance between physical and emotional pain is not far. Creating a holistic pain management paradigm moving forward would be in our best interests. While some region-specific remedies are important, epidemics such as with opioids, depression, and obesity show that we are not managing pain well. </p><p>--</p><p><em>Stay in touch with Derek on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. His next book is </em>Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy.</p>
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