Why does my pain get worse on the weekend?
Why did my pain start just before my trip to Barcelona?
Shouldn’t I experience more pain when I’m stressed and less pain when I’m relaxed?
A university student recently mentioned to me, “When the pain started I was a carefree first year, loving living with my mates and celebrating everything in my life!”
I can’t answer this question for everyone but I can share my own experience.
I used to have more pain AFTER stressful periods but not during stressful periods.
When I was anxious about a million things, when I strived for getting top jobs in the City, I didn’t have time to think about my pain!
But when I was ready to relax and enjoy my weekend or holidays…
“Oops! Hello, my wonderful pain! I missed you!”.
This is how neural pathway pain and the Tension Myositis Syndrome work.
During the weekend you have plenty of time to focus on your pain.
The environment doesn’t demand your attention.
You don’t have to perform or do anything.
Hence, you focus on your pain.
Here’s an analogy I use: When you see a tiger out there, you don’t have time to think about your pain. But when you’re in back in your cave, you can safely be in pain so you don’t make that mistake again to leave your cave because there are tigers out there!
This is an explanation from a physiological point of view from David Hawkins book Letting Go:
Some executives develop swollen ankles as the week goes on, and then on Friday evening they have frequency of urination. They complain of a letdown due to the sudden decrease in the level of the cortisol hormone.
In addition to a somewhat euphoric effect, cortisol also has an anaesthetic effect; therefore, during the letdown period of low-cortisol production, weekenders may notice physical symptoms that were ignored during the excitement of the work week, and they may complain of many aches and pains over the weekend that weren’t experienced while at work
Also, do you remember when you learned how to drive?
Did you experience stiffness or neck pain or shoulder pain after an hour of learning to drive?
You didn’t experience it while driving because your mind was fully ocuppied and attentive.
But when you went home that evening… were you stiff by any chance?
And this can happen at work when you’re glued to your screen trying to figure out a mistake in your Excel calculations.
Or when you suddenly forgot your 4-digit pin when trying to take money from a cash machine.
Or when you’re looking for your keys in your pockets. Did I lose my keys???
During these moments you may forget your pain for a minute.
Not all pain is psycho-physiological but if you haven’t suffered an injury but your pain is chronic you may want to shift your attention for a bit?
What could be more interesting to focus on other than your pain?
If pain was not there, how would you spend this evening?
Do something that brings you to life and you may notice that pain is gone.
Do you want to try?
— Angelos
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