On the concept of pain, with special reference to depression and psychogenic pain

Toward a Unifying Definition: Response to ‘The Concept of Mental Pain'

“…From this literature, five perspectives were identified that described a theory or model of psychological pain in sufficient detail to allow for a systematic analysis. These were: psychic pain [3], psychache [4], emotional pain [5] and two models of suffering [6,7]. Among these perspectives, Joffe and Sandler's theory [3] of psychic pain stood out, as they considered all pain to be mental, encompassing both physical and psychic pain.…”

“…These were: psychic pain [3], psychache [4], emotional pain [5] and two models of suffering [6,7]. Among these perspectives, Joffe and Sandler's theory [3] of psychic pain stood out, as they considered all pain to be mental, encompassing both physical and psychic pain. We evaluated these perspectives using published criteria for concept analysis, which require an evaluation of the definition, characteristics, boundaries, preconditions and outcomes of the concept in question [8].…”

“…The model of suffering by Rehnsfeldt and Eriksson [7] describes finding meaning as the desired outcome. Joffe and Sandler [3] described progressive adaptation to psychic pain as having advantages for personal development. Shneidman [4] did not mention personal growth explicitly; however, personal growth can be inferred from his proposition that we have the ability to alleviate psychache through changing the circumstances that caused the pain.…”

Chronic Idiopathic Pain, Mianserin and ‘Masked’ Depression

“…According to sev eral psychodvnamically oriented authors, pain may indeed function as a 'hysterical' or 'conversive' somatization symptom which may prevent the breakthrough of a more se vere depression [35,36], Furthermore, psy choanalytic theory stresses the fundamental parallelism between mental and physical pain, and the possible 'displacement' from the former to the latter [37,38]. These intrapsy chic links largely correspond with the dynam ics of 'pain-proneness' which were originally described by Engel [39] and.…”

Mental Pain in Israeli Adult Childhood Cancer Survivors and Its Effects on their Quality of Life

“…In contrast to physical pain it is not localized and is not directly related to noxious physical stimuli [32]. It has been described in different forms, such as longing for a beloved one following a traumatic loss [33,34]; a transformation of physical pain in states when the physical ego is weakened (e.g., in dreams, schizophrenia) [35]; an awareness of the disruption of one's sense of wholeness and social unity [36]; a sense of emptiness reflecting loss of meaning in life [37]; selfdisappointment due to a discrepancy between one's self image and one's ideal self [38] or between one's low achievements and high aspirations [39]; a negative modification in the image, definition and functioning of the self [40]; a combination of several distressful emotions such as guilt, shame, defeat, humiliation, disgrace, grief, hopelessness, and rage resulting from the frustration of basic needs essential for living, such as to be loved, to have control, to protect one's self-image, and to feel secure [41]; a sense of woundedness, loss of self, loss of control and disconnection from a loved one that culminate in an alarming awareness of "brokenness of the self " [42].…”