Is pleasure possible without the existence of pain? Is happiness the result of pleasure alone? Does minimising pain increase our pleasure? These are some of the questions explored by Dr Brock Bastian of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) School of Psychology.
According to Dr Bastian, pain is required to contrast pleasure, and a life free from pain would be undesirable. Pain is a precursor to pleasure, and also helps us remain in touch with the world. These conclusions are posited by Dr Bastian and colleagues in an article recently submitted to the Personality and Social Psychology Review journal.
Pleasure follows pain
The pain/pleasure dichotomy may not describe mutually exclusive feelings after all, according to the journal article. For example, physical manifestations of pain, such as the effort required in strenuous exercise, is soon rewarded with a euphoric sensation as opioids are released to the brain in response to the pain.
Not only can relief from pain bring happiness, it will also provide immediate and ongoing reduction of sadness. In other words, according to Dr Bastian, pain alone isn’t pleasurable, but it does contribute to satisfaction in ways that pleasure in isolation can’t achieve. Pain can also absolve us of remorse when succumbing to guilty pleasures – for example, enjoying a chocolate bar after a visit to the gym.
Pain and focus
People often strive for ways to become alert, focused and ‘in the moment’. From meditation to concentration, methods that keep us attentive can assist with productivity and results. Pain is another sensation that captures our attention. In one experiment carried out by Dr Bastian, participants held their hand under ice-cold water for a period of time before being offered a chocolate biscuit. People who experienced pain while their hand was submerged ultimately enjoyed the biscuit more than people who were pain-free. Increased pain experienced during submersion resulted in improved taste sensation and pleasure.
Pain as a bonding experience
Nobody likes to undergo suffering or hardship. However, when such difficulties are experienced with other people a bond is formed. Whether it’s war veterans seemingly living in the past and sharing war stories at the pub with their comrades, or townsfolk who endured a catastrophic cyclone together – shared pain unites people. An understanding of pain and empathy toward those who suffer also brings out positive qualities such as a charitable disposition and generous nature.
Another experiment by Dr Bastian and his colleagues involved one group of people eating very hot chillies, another with hands in ice-cold water, and a third control group undergoing no pain. The groups that experienced pain performed better in post-pain game challenges than the no-pain group. People who felt pain bonded together and took risks for each other, enabling their entire group to benefit.
The difference between detrimental and positive pain
Some pain, such as that found in chronic illness and suffering, is difficult to associate with any real benefit. Attempting to justify all pain as ultimately positive could lead to a callous and cruel disposition or damaging behaviour.
On the other hand, a proper understanding of pain in some contexts may help us find appropriate solutions during difficult times. Many situations can be tolerated or improved when pain is framed as a positive instead of a negative. In any case, for most of us, happiness and distress are like the summer and winter seasons: they come and they go, and becoming too excited or too distressed at either end of the spectrum can lead to emotional and even physical pain. An understanding of pain will lead to greater tolerance, less disturbance, and ultimately more happiness according to the findings of Dr Bastian.