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The Negative Experience in My Life

Categories: Personal Growth and Development

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Published: Mar 13, 2024

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What Can We Learn from Painful Experiences?

Advanced Essay #4: The Healing of Pain

A lot of research went into writing this essay. After reading 'The Things They Carry', I wanted to explore the deeper meaning of pain and the way each and every person experiences it. It was hard to find the perfect resources for my essay, but I ended up finding two perfect interviews, and a great image reflecting my words. I spent a long time trying to word my thoughts in a way people would understand, and although it was a challenge, I was able to use suggestion from my peers to write a piece I am proud of. I made sure not just to discuss the single meaning of pain, but the general meaning, so basically every single type of pain, whether it be physical, emotional, mental, etc..

Imagine being surrounded by an entire army, pointing all their guns at you. Unarmed civilians also surround you, fearing their lives, but knowing that they can’t back down because it’s a sign of weakness. One man steps up, knowing that there could be consequences, he decides to make peace between the army and the civilians, so he steps up, and all the guns are pointed at him, not you, yet you still fear. He places flowers in the gun, and no one makes a move or a sound, as if the man was now surrounded by the dead. He shows no signs of stopping, and as his bouquet of flowers becomes one single flower, you realize that it wasn’t fear of death you were feeling, it was fear of tyranny, and this man had just proven to you and everyone else there, the hypocrisy of pain and violence. One might think the previous statement was created to get them thinking of a somewhat realistic situation to better explain the healing of pain. It is anything but fictional, it’s an image of truth. The truth may be dreadful and uncomfortable, but this image expresses the tenderness of pain and its remedy. This is an image of life, a life put through violence and war, yet effectively reacts to a situation with the power of silence and influence.

Healing of agony can be conceived through an action, a memory, a statement, an image, or in better terms, it can be formulated in different ways, but as stated by Veena Das, a theoretician and ethnographer, there are two things that all healing has in common. “The notion of healing carried two ideas: the idea of endurance, and the idea of the capacity to establish a particular relationship to death….” One has to be willing to accept the pain they suffer to be able to alleviate the pain. In this way, not only is their acceptance, but realization that the pain will never go away, but awareness that mending pain is much stronger than any kind of pain itself. “But I was very struck by the ways in which pain does write itself enduringly on people’s lives. It was not about a thunderous voice of pain, but about the manners in which pain was woven into the patterns of life.” You have to be open to all pain, to the consequences, or else healing will never happen, and only pain would ever exist. The thing is though, that without pain, life would be nothing. We would never experience reality, and we’d be selfish because without pain, we would get everything we wanted and thought we deserved. Pain draws a fairly clear line between selfishness and selflessness.

There is a single word that can bring terror and pain to many in an instant, a word so powerful that the meaning is pointless because it is nothing compared to the suffering and suffocation one is already in from just hearing the word. War...the word is war. As clearly stated by author Chris Hedges, “Yes. I think for those who are in combat, it very swiftly can become an addiction. War is its own subculture. It can create a landscape of the grotesque that is, perhaps, unlike anything else created by human beings.” Experiencing war in any way is a very difficult and uncomfortable experience that no one should go through. For soldiers, it’s as though war is a separate world, a separate language, or a separate life. Once in a war, you can never get out, even if the war is officially over. You become so intimate with it, that you can never forget about it. The horror will always be in your dreams, and the pain will always be crawling up your spine, and to your head, where you always remember every dreadful moment. War is something so unique and spectacular, that it is almost a mystery to the human race. We still explore war and it’s many characteristics, that is why war still exists and will never go away. There’s no meaning of war yet because we still don’t understand it, and there will never be one single clear definition. It’s existed for hundreds of years, yet it’s still something new and fresh that is somewhat unknown to our race.

A life with no pain, is a life not lived to the fullest. We suffer and always find a way to blame someone, yet the only one to blame should be ourselves, for not allowing leeway for reflecting on the good. Pain is different for everyone. Some might experience it through violence or war, and others might experience it from love, or hate, or even just life itself. Healing is a reflection of pain, and that is what needs to be understood to be able to live on, not move on, but to live your actual life, the life you grew up living. We must understand the difference between all pain, whether physical, mental, or emotional. As human beings, we have the right to express our pain, our anger, and our fight to healing. As human beings, we have the right to live.

"Listening to Voices. An Interview with Veena Das." Interview by Kim Turcot DiFruscia. 2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2016. < http://www.alterites.ca/vol7no1/pdf/71_TurcotDiFruscia_Das_2010.pdf >

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Why Is Life So Painful, And How Can You Make It Hurt Less?

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illustration of a woman crying tears that fill up an ocean around her - concept of a painful life

Why is life so painful? It’s a question that philosophers and religious leaders have been working to answer for thousands of years.

Thankfully, we’ve achieved some answers because of those philosophers and religious leaders, and more recently modern psychology.

However, humanity has also found ways to make some things hurt less than they do. Please note I said “some things.” That’s going to matter soon.

But first, let’s lay some foundation.

Speak to an accredited and experienced therapist if your life is painful and you want to find some healing and peace. You may want to try speaking to one via BetterHelp.com for quality care at its most convenient.

Pointless Platitudes And Wishful Thinking

What do people often say when tragedy happens, and life causes pain?

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

“God has a plan.”

Hell, you may have said some of these things yourself. But you know which people rarely say stuff like this? People who are rape survivors. People who ended up paralyzed. People who had loved ones kill themselves. People who have been devastated by natural disasters, terrorist attacks, random accidents, acts of violence, mental illness, physical illness, and far, far more.

No. As far as I can tell, these pointless platitudes are often spoken for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, the person genuinely wants to say something comforting. They see someone suffering, and because they are a human being with empathy, they want to say something to ease that person’s pain.

Unfortunately, knowing what to say to someone in a tragic situation doesn’t come naturally to the majority. That’s why we have grief counselors and professionals receive training on how to handle these crises.

These people that mean well don’t know what else to say, so they parrot what society deems as “good advice.”

Secondly, the person genuinely believes the platitudes because they’re naive. They are unaware because they have no experience and haven’t witnessed the devastation these terrible events leave in survivors. You can also see this reflected in mental health communities often.

For example:

“I’m depressed because my son killed himself 12 years ago. I lost my job, my spouse, my kids won’t talk to me because they blame me, and I’m all alone.”

“Have you tried counseling and medication? They can help!”

“I’ve been in counseling and on medication for the last 12 years. Nothing helps.”

“…well, keep trying! It might!”

It’d be hilarious if there wasn’t a real human being laying awake at night actively mourning the life and love they once had that is gone and will never come back. And they have to find a way to live with that.

Thirdly, you have “inspiration p0rn.” What is inspiration p0rn? Well, it’s when a person who’s been through some terrible situation is trotted out to inspire others. You’ve probably seen this in action or videos of it before. A person goes through a terrible experience, then they show a montage of the person rebuilding their life with motivational music swelling in the background, and then transition to the pictures of their now successful life.

That can be taken one of two ways. Some people genuinely find that inspirational. They look at that story, feel sympathy and compassion, open up their wallets to donate to whatever cause, and generally feel better that there is hope in the world. But, of course, they never bother to show the thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or more who aren’t so fortunate.

There are plenty of people who work their asses off and get nowhere because not everything is fixable. And even if it is “fixable,” that doesn’t mean it’s fixable back to 100%. Sure, a person who is paralyzed after getting hit by a car may be able to learn to walk again. However, they may also be living with chronic pain that leaves them addicted to pain medication for the rest of their life.

Everything Happens For A Reason

This one deserves its own special section because of how common this form of wishful thinking is. “ Everything happens for a reason ” is an appeal to a higher power—whether its fate or God—that there is some plan that causes all of these terrible things to happen to people.

The suggestion is that there is some order or intelligent architect carefully guiding the existence we’re trying to navigate; instead of just being a clusterf*ck of chaos.

It’s comforting to think that God or fate has a plan for you or your suffering. Personally, it’s one I wish I could believe. Still, I have a hard time believing that we would ever register on that radar as individuals in the vastness of all creation. Why would God care about my pain when people are being hacked to death with machetes in civil wars in Africa? Or are parents burying their kids? Or are people being persecuted, tortured, and executed because they’re different and an easy target?

“Well, other people’s pain doesn’t make yours any less important!” Right. Again, it’d be hilarious if there weren’t many deeply suffering people not getting thrown under the bus to give the statement the illusion of truth.

But I can tell you one thing: “Everything happens for a reason.” I believe it wholeheartedly, but not for the reason you might expect. I believe everything happens for a reason because sometimes people are monsters who do evil things, and the universe is indifferent to our suffering. Pain, suffering, and misery all happen for a very good reason: that’s just life. No one is immune to it. Sooner or later, everyone will experience some tragedy or terrible circumstance. And unless they’re a sociopath or incapable of emotion, it will be devastating.

Even the optimal story of happiness that people peddle has a devastating ending. “Oh, you find the love of your life. Your life is happiness and joy together. You have a safe and secure life. You work, raise some kids, and grow old together.” Oh, wait, what happens after the growing old together part? Yeah, one of you dies, and the other has to try to find a way to live after that, if you can.

Everything happens for a reason. So true. And the reason is that none of us are so special that we’re above tragedy. That’s just life.

Well, that’s depressing…

It can be depressing. I know it was depressing for me for a long time. But, after much reflecting, it came to be a comforting thing.

I realized that the universe wasn’t punishing me for the tragedies and traumas I experienced. I realized that it was not due to failure of character or person that many of these things happened, even if I made some bad choices. Bad choices shouldn’t be punished with years-long traumas that must be sorted out.

Then, I could stop blaming myself and redirect my energy into reducing the weight on my shoulders.

The universe doesn’t care about me. It’s not punishing me. It’s not rewarding me. Life is just happening, and that’s how it is. So now, how to deal with that? How to make the pain less punishing and intense?

Well, that’s an answer that’s as different as there are people on the planet. I’m no religious scholar or philosopher, but I can share with you some things that helped me deal with decades of Bipolar Disorder and the loss, tragedy, and turmoil that comes with that.

But before we do that, I would like to strongly state that healing and recovery are very personal experiences. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. It’s not my place to tell you that you’re wrong if you find comfort and healing in a thing, whether it’s a philosophy, religion, belief system, or whatever. So long as you’re not using it to hurt other people, it doesn’t matter.

How To Make Life Hurt Less

Amor Fati translates to “Love your fate.” This phrase is one piece of the philosophy of Stoicism, a philosophy whose great thinkers included slaves and Emperors. This phrase aims to accept the hand that life has dealt you so you can keep living. To love your fate is to welcome anything and everything that comes to you, no matter how wonderful or terrible.

You don’t have to like it. Instead, we love it. We accept it with open arms, embrace it, and don’t waste valuable time on things like:

“Why did this have to happen?”

“I refuse to accept this happened!”

It doesn’t matter why. All that matters is that it did. You can refuse it, but being in denial won’t help you heal. In fact, denial can keep you stuck in the cycle of misery and suffering for the rest of your life if you let it. Unfortunately, plenty of people spend their one life locked into that cycle, depriving themselves of healing whatever they can to hopefully find some joy again.

Realize that healing is not absolute or perfect.

A struggle that I had with my trauma was the idea of healing. How can I heal? I’ll never be the same after the suicide attempts, people I love dying, sometimes by their own hands, and the chaos my undiagnosed mental illness caused.

The truth that often gets left out of the “healing” narrative is that it’s not perfect. You may be able to reduce the pain and make it so small it doesn’t intrude in your life all the time, but it’s still going to be there to some degree.

Maybe you spend the weeks around important dates crying off and on. You could slip into the hole of depression for a little while. Maybe your life and personality are changed by something that happened to you.

Don’t think you’ll ever return to who you were before whatever pain you experienced. You won’t. It’s not a reasonable expectation.

What is far more reasonable is to embrace the idea that you can find some peace or happiness, at least for a little while, with some additional help and work. It will likely never be perfect, though.

Trauma and Grief Therapy

Therapy helps a lot of people. For example, grief therapy can be instrumental in finding peace of mind after losing a loved one or going through some other intense loss. That’s an obvious connection most people can easily make.

What isn’t so easy is trauma therapy. According to the APA, a traumatic experience is defined as:

“…any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behavior, and other aspects of functioning. Traumatic events include those caused by human behavior (e.g., rape, war, industrial accidents) as well as by nature (e.g., earthquakes) and often challenge an individual’s view of the world as a just, safe, and predictable place.” Source.

That is a much, much wider net than society often views trauma as. What the average person is thinking of when they talk about trauma is often Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. “Oh, this war veteran suffered for years afterward because he was in a war.” Right. The traumatic experience was war and whatever he went through, and PTSD is what followed.

The same may or may not be true for sexual assault survivors, people in bad car accidents, surviving suicide attempts, those living with abusive people, a loved one dying, a loved one completing suicide or overdosing, or living with a chronic illness or mental illness. So many things constitute a “traumatic experience” that can leave a lasting impact on a person.

But people don’t necessarily suggest trauma counseling for those experiences. Still, it can be quite helpful.

BetterHelp.com is a website where you can connect with a therapist via phone, video, or instant message.

Seeking help is typically better sooner than later. However, if you’d prefer to wait a bit to see how it’s affecting you, a good rule of thumb is about six months. It will be a good idea to seek professional help if you’re having problems with it six months after the traumatic event. Of course, it’s better to seek help sooner than that, but there you go.

Here’s that link again if you’d like to learn more about the service BetterHelp.com provide and the process of getting started.

In conclusion…

Life is hard. Life is brutally painful. Trauma will happen, and you won’t avoid it. No one can. However, you can take steps to ease that weight on your shoulders, so hopefully, you can find some reason to smile again.

However, you’re going to have to find the answers for yourself. Anyone else can only offer some perspective and a guiding hand if they are religious leaders, philosophers, or mental health professionals.

Healing is a personal experience. Don’t waste your precious time lamenting the thing that happened. Instead, get out there and start working on it. Therapy is a good place to start, even if it’s not perfect.

About The Author

Jack Nollan is a person who has lived with Bipolar Disorder and Bipolar-depression for almost 30 years now. Jack is a mental health writer of 10 years who pairs lived experience with evidence-based information to provide perspective from the side of the mental health consumer. With hands-on experience as the facilitator of a mental health support group, Jack has a firm grasp of the wide range of struggles people face when their mind is not in the healthiest of places. Jack is an activist who is passionate about helping disadvantaged people find a better path.

Mindfulness

How to put painful experiences behind you, try these 3 strategies to help heal and ultimately move on from pain..

Posted September 10, 2015

If you’re like many of my patients, you’ve suffered something traumatic in the past and want to know how to get over that painful experience.

Moving through the experience and finding a way to heal and ultimately move on with your life can be a great challenge, and getting help from a trusted friend, therapist or member of the clergy can be an important part of the healing process.

Here are three strategies you can start using today to begin to put your pain behind you.

Don’t make the past your present.

We often bring our past hurts into the present moment by giving our thoughts about it too much airtime. But what many people don’t realize is that you don’t have to drag it with you into today. You can’t make yourself forget about the past, but you can choose how often you allow yourself to dwell on it.

Your feelings of loss and sadness about what happened might very well be a real part of your present experience and I’m not suggesting that you just push away the feelings (that only leads to other problems like addictions).

It’s important to learn how to self-soothe and ask loved ones for support when you’re feeling pain. But it’s also important to remember that giving memories or thoughts too much airtime can actually act as a trigger for distressing emotions and ultimately contribute to your suffering.

This is the perfect time to practice mindfulness so you can observe your thoughts and emotions in a more distanced, accepting way. To learn how to start a mindfulness practice, read this post .

Rewrite the story you tell yourself.

If you let your past define you, you’re limiting yourself both in who you can be and what you can experience in the future. Your life is a constantly changing, moving experience. Each day offers new thoughts, feelings and experiences that continue to shape who you are and how you view yourself and the world.

One powerful way to harness this is by taking time to rethink the “story” of your painful life experience, this time casting yourself as the survivor not the victim. Be sure to focus on the strengths you realized and the lessons you learned from the experience.

Don’t let myths about healing get in the way.

I’ve noticed time and time again that my patients who are struggling with a painful past experience often buy-in to several common myths about healing. Believing these myths can stall recovery, and keep you stuck in your pain and suffering.

Have you mistakenly been telling yourself any of the following false beliefs?

· I can’t ever be whole again, this damage is permanent.

· If I let go of my anger /hurt that means the perpetrator wins.

· I can’t move on until I get an apology .

· I need someone else to fix this/me.

· I don’t deserve to feel better.

· If I just ignore this, it will eventually go away.

You can’t change what has happened in the past but you can change how you respond to those painful experiences. Your life is what is happening to you right now. You, and you alone, have the power to change what this next moment’s experience will be by choosing how you respond to painful thoughts, memories and feelings.

If you’re suffering and finding that it’s impacting your ability to move forward in your life, you don’t have to manage this alone. Ask a trusted friend or doctor to help you find a therapist in your area or you can find immediate resources here .

To stay updated on Wise Mind Living visit erinolivo.com

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Erin Olivo, Ph.D., is an assistant clinical professor of medical psychology at Columbia University.

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6 Positive Ways that Living with Chronic Pain Changed My Life: Lessons Learned Over a Decade

In this blog post, brooke greenberg, a clinical psychology phd student, reflects on her 10-year journey with chronic pain and shares six positive ways it has transformed her life, including fostering gratitude, inspiring advocacy, and leading to a new career path. brooke's story embodies resilience and a commitment to dismantling the stigma surrounding chronic pain..

Brooke Greenberg,

September 9, 2023

Tweens & Teens (12+) Chronic Pain English

Here are six positive ways pain has changed my life, and lessons I have learned over the past decade:

1. Pain has taught me GRATITUDE:

Growing up, I always heard from family and friends to be grateful, and say things out loud that you were appreciative of. It wasn’t until pain came into my life, and I recovered from pain, that I knew how to p ractice gratitude daily.

I have learned to be grateful for the little things, like the ability to take a walk spontaneously and not feel anything but refreshed and rejuvenated, going to new and different workout classes, and doing cardio and weight training almost daily. When you are nearly couch-ridden for years and every activity had a consequence, spontaneously being active is a true gift.

I also have immense amounts of gratitude for the people in my life who have supported me every step of the way, physicians, psychologists, PT, OT, family, and friends. When the days get tough, I can simply remind myself of just a few things I am grateful for.

2. Pain has taught me to use my voice for positive change

For the first three years of living with pain, I firmly believed this was my life, that this was my fate. A few years after I went to a pain rehabilitation program, my curiosity was piqued on how I can use my story for positive change. Since my pain rehabilitation experience, I have spoken many times at both the program I went to and other programs around the country, developed a podcast with The Comfort Ability Peer Advisory Board , lead numerous monthly groups for kids with pain, and recently became a representative for a national psychology organization. Sharing my story with kids and parents alike that there is a light at the end of a tunnel, and where you may be in your pain journey is not where you will always have created a deeper meaning and purpose in my life.

3. Pain has brought me a new career

My entire life I wanted to be a doctor, specifically when I was in high school, I was certain I would be a pediatric neurologist. It took a pain journey to introduce me to some of the most influential people in my life that have seemingly the most rewarding careers on the planet. I am proud to say that I am a current PhD student in Clinical Psychology studying to eventually become a pediatric pain psychologist.

4. Pain has taught me resourcefulness and resilience

I vividly remember at the beginning of my pain journey, being told over and over that this was only the beginning and that there was no chance of ever getting better. I then took it upon myself to contact other young adults who went to pain rehabilitation, speak to them live, come up with alternative options to get back to living, and learn to NEVER give up on the hope of resuming a normal life . The tenacity it took to jump feet-first into pain rehabilitation was easily the scariest risk I have ever taken. It was a leap of faith and my last resort at the time. I knew deep down that this would work and every time I got knocked down during my time in pain rehabilitation, I stood up and stood up stronger ( figuratively and literally! ). I take this same resilience through my everyday life now as a doctoral student.

5. Pain has taught me the value of self-care

One of the core principles that is virtually universal no matter where you are is the importance of taking care of yourself. I have learned that self-care takes many shapes and sizes . I have tried on almost every type of self-care activity and have built up a toolkit of self-care strategies that I can use no matter the setting or time. More than ever, I have learned to practice what I preach and incorporate several self-care exercises into my everyday routine. Taking a few extra minutes for myself before my workday to meditate and ensuring I get both cardio and strength training has paid dividends in maintaining my mental and physical health.

6. Pain has Taught me to Ask for Help

One of the hardest truths that has come out of living with pain has been knowing when to say “no” and ask for help. When some days my best is not where it was the day before, or I need a little extra time on an assignment, pain has taught me to give myself grace , or simply need to take some time for myself. Learning to hit the pause button or take a brief break has been invaluable.

Throughout these past 10 years of living with pain, I have learned some tough, life lessons. But rather than thinking of my pain journey as something that has held me back from chasing my dreams, I have used my experience to shape my worldview positively and create a new path forward.

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About the Author

Brooke Greenberg is a second year Clinical Psychology PhD student at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Brooke aspires to be a pediatric psychologist with a focus in chronic pain and work in a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. She has had full body chronic pain for nearly a decade, with the most impactful experience attending a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation program which included physical therapy, occupational therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, which transformed her life.

Brooke joined The Comfort Ability Peer Advisory Board in 2020 with the goal of amplifying voices of those with chronic pain and sharing stories of hope and courage with those living with chronic pain. Brooke also hopes to dismantle the stigma of chronic pain in that you can live a productive, meaningful life despite adversity. She is a host on the Peer Advisory Board podcast ‘ Chronic Pain as You’ve Never Heard It Before ‘, a podcast that includes practical tips and skills for managing pediatric pain, but also a big dose of hope and encouragement for those who are struggling.

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Meaning in Life and Pain: The Differential Effects of Coherence, Purpose, and Mattering on Pain Severity, Frequency, and the Development of Chronic Pain

Brandon l boring.

1 Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

Joseph Maffly-Kipp

Vani a mathur.

2 Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

Joshua A Hicks

Meaning in life is consistently associated with better health outcomes across a range of mental and physical domains. However, meaning in life is a complex construct involving three distinct facets: coherence, purpose, and mattering. While these facets have been studied individually in relation to pain, they have not been assessed concurrently to parse out their potential distinct contributions to pain outcomes. We sought to identify the unique relationships of these individual facets of meaning with pain experiences and specify the components associated with pain-related resilience.

The associations of coherence, purpose, and mattering with pain outcomes were examined across three studies. Study 1 used data from the Midlife in the United States National Survey to determine associations between facets and the frequency of various recently experienced pains, and the development of chronic pain nine years later. Study 2 cross-sectionally observed the association between facets and recent pain severity in young adults. Using a diary-type approach, Study 3 captured fluctuations of pain severity in relation to the facets across the span of four weeks.

Coherence was uniquely associated with less headache, backache, joint, and extremities pain frequency in Study 1, over and above purpose and mattering, controlling for other health variables. Coherence was also associated with lower odds of developing chronic pain. In Study 2, coherence was associated with less pain severity and fully mediated the relationship between global meaning in life and pain. Study 3 found that coherence predicted the most unique variance in weekly pain fluctuations.

Across three studies and timescales, coherence was uniquely associated with fewer and less severe pain experiences over and above purpose and mattering. These findings provide support for the value of coherence as a resilience factor in the context of pain and suggest a potential benefit for coherence-specific interventions in clinical settings.

Introduction

Meaning in life (MIL) fosters resilience and acceptance, and promotes improved health outcomes, particularly within the context of pain. 1–3 Global reports of MIL are associated with better adjustment and well-being among people with chronic pain and less pain among those with breast cancer. 4–6 However, multiple theoretical perspectives assert that MIL is multidimensional, comprising three interrelated facets – coherence (or comprehension), purpose, and mattering (or significance) – potentially complicating interpretation of this literature. 7–13 Current consensus suggests that MIL is experienced when people are able to make sense of their lives (coherence), believe they are pursuing important goals (purpose), and feel that their lives matter to both themselves and the outside world (mattering). These three facets are distinguishable within MIL, yet the unique influence of each of these facets on pain has not been examined. 7 , 11 , 13 , 14

Drawing on his experiences in concentration camps, Frankl (1959) asserted that the construction of meaning is a necessary step to transcending physical suffering. 2 Current theoretical models build off Frankl’s ideas; for example, Park’s (2010) influential meaning-making model focuses on the importance of both situational and global meaning in one’s life, and how successful meaning making efforts (eg, finding a silver lining in a previously incomprehensible traumatic event) can influence global perceptions of MIL. 1 , 3 , 11 Martela and Steger (2016) further suggest that researchers need to consider different facets or “meanings of meaning,” including purpose, coherence, and mattering, if they want to better understand how MIL influences psychological and physical health. 7 , 15 However, in the existing literature, only two of these facets have been considered in relation to pain experiences, and they have been examined in isolation. Purpose, for example, predicts better recovery following knee surgery in people with knee osteoarthritis, as well as habituation to heat and cold pain in the laboratory. 16 , 17 Studies suggest that coherence is associated with less bodily pain in older adults, less painful somatic complaints in adolescents, and lower pain catastrophizing in people with chronic pain; however, these have used a measure (the Sense of Coherence scale) that assesses perceived comprehension, manageability, and meaningfulness, and not specifically coherence per se as operationalized by MIL researchers, adding further confusion to understanding the impact of MIL on pain outcomes. 13 , 14 , 18–22 Mattering itself has not been examined in the context of pain.

Disambiguation of these unique facets is essential for informing future work, especially in relation to clinical interventions for those suffering from pain. For example, acceptance-based interventions for chronic pain often aim to help people find meaning in their pain, but MIL is often used nonspecifically in these contexts. 23 , 24 A more thorough understanding of the relationship between MIL and pain could inform therapeutic approaches that leverage the psychological benefits of one facet specifically, rather than a more general conceptualization of meaning. Empirical and theoretical exploration in this area may therefore allow for more targeted clinical efforts for the treatment of pain.

Within the present research, we concurrently assessed coherence, mattering, and purpose across a breadth of pain experiences over three separate studies. In Study 1, we cross-sectionally observed the association of the facets with the frequency of various types of recent acute pain, and longitudinally assessed whether the facets predicted the odds of developing chronic pain using an opensource dataset to establish an initial basis for subsequent studies. In Study 2, we cross-sectionally examined these constructs’ association with recent pain severity, and then built upon this in Study 3 by assessing their relationship longitudinally. As the independence of each facet of MIL has been demonstrated in other contexts and guided by George and Park’s (2016) framework, we hypothesized that coherence, purpose, and mattering would differentially relate to the frequency of acute pain (Study 1), the development of chronic pain (Study 1), and pain severity cross-sectionally (Study 2) and longitudinally (Study 3). Due to the exploratory nature of these analyses, there were no specific predictions regarding which facet would relate most strongly to pain outcomes.

Study 1 Method

Participants.

Data were taken from Waves 2 (2004–2005) and 3 (2013–2014) of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), an opensource dataset. 25 , 26 The MIDUS is an ongoing longitudinal study assessing sociodemographic, behavioral, and health data gathered through telephone surveys using random digit dialing and mailed questionnaires. Wave 2 of the MIDUS contained 4963 total participants. For cross-sectional analysis, after selecting only those who reported not having chronic pain at Wave 2, 2484 participants remained (53.7% female). Participants’ ages ranged from 30 to 83 years old ( M = 55.10 ± 12.28). For cross-sectional analysis within Wave 3, after selecting only those who reported not having chronic pain, 1663 participants remained (53.3% female). Participants’ ages ranged from 42 to 92 years old ( M = 64.03 ± 11.08).

For longitudinal analyses, we selected only those who reported not having chronic pain at Wave 2 and who had data for all variables of interest at both Waves 2 and 3, resulting in a total of 1511 participants (53.2% female). Participants’ ages at Wave 2 ranged from 30 to 83 years old ( M = 54.79 ± 11.27). Demographic information on race, education, and marital status are reported in Table 1 . This study protocol was submitted to the Texas A&M University Institutional Review Board, who determined that this secondary analysis of existing data was not human subjects research.

Participant Demographics

Notes : Study 1 - participant demographics cross-sectionally within Waves 2 and 3, as well as for those participants with data in both Waves for longitudinal analysis.

Chronic Pain

The presence of chronic pain was assessed using the question

Do you have chronic pain, that is do you have pain that persists beyond the time of normal healing and has lasted from anywhere from a few months to many years?

Participants answered “Yes” or “No”. Values were re-coded from the original MIDUS dataset so that odds ratios >1 would reflect increased odds of developing chronic pain (ie, “yes” = 2, and “no” = 1).

Pain Frequency

Participants were asked about the frequency with which they had experienced four types of pain (ie headaches, backaches, aches/joint stiffness, and extremities aches/pain) over the previous 30 days on a scale of 1 (almost every day) to 6 (not at all). These values were re-coded for analysis so that higher scores indicated more frequent instances of pain.

Coherence, Mattering, and Purpose

Coherence and mattering were measured using the Social Coherence and Social Contribution subscales of a social well-being measure. 27 Participants were asked to describe the extent to which they agreed with two items for coherence (eg “I cannot make sense of what’s going on in the world”; α = 0.639) and three items for mattering (eg “I have nothing important to contribute to society”; α = 0.704) on a scale of 1 (strongly agree) to 7 (strongly disagree). Scores for each facet were calculated as the sum of their respective items, with higher scores indicating greater endorsement of each unique facet.

Purpose was measured using the purpose subscale of a psychological well-being measure. 28 , 29 Participants indicated how much they agreed with seven items (eg “I don’t have a good sense of what it is I’m trying to accomplish in life”; α = 0.694) on a scale of 1 (strongly agree) to 7 (strongly disagree). Scores were calculated as the sum of the items, with higher scores indicating greater purpose.

Self-Evaluated Physical and Mental Health

Self-rated physical and mental health – “In general, would you say your [physical health/mental or emotional health] is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?” – were reported on a scale of 1 (excellent) to 5 (poor).

BMI was calculated within the MIDUS by dividing the participants’ self-reported weight (recorded in lbs. and converted to kilograms) from their self-reported height (recorded in inches and converted to meters squared).

Depression was calculated as the accumulated “Yes” responses to seven questions assessing both depressed affect (eg “During two weeks in the past 12 months, when you felt sad, blue or depressed, did you lose interest in most things?”) and anhedonia (eg “During two weeks in the past 12 months, when you lost interest in most things, did you have a lot more trouble concentrating than usual?”). Totals ranged from 0 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater depression.

Participants were asked how frequently they experienced 10 items (eg “How often over the past 12 months you were restless because of your worry”) using a scale of 1 (most days) to 4 (never). Anxiety scores were calculated as the total number of “most days” responses, where higher scores indicated greater anxiety.

Number of Chronic Conditions

Participants responded “Yes” or “No” to whether they had experienced 30 different chronic conditions (eg asthma, ulcers) in the past 12 months.

Analysis Plan

Analyses were conducted using SPSS (version 25; IBM Corp, Armonk, NY). Separate hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted for the frequency of each acute pain within two separate Waves of the MIDUS. Demographics (ie chronological age, gender, race, education level, and marital status) were included in the first step of the regression, and covariates associated with physical and mental health (ie self-rated physical and mental/emotional health, BMI, depression, anxiety, and the number of other chronic conditions) were included in the second step, modeled after prior research on psychosocial predictors of pain using the MIDUS. 30 Coherence, purpose, and mattering scores were added concurrently in the final step of the regression. After selecting only those participants without chronic pain at Wave 2, a logistic regression was then conducted to determine the independent predictive value of the facets of MIL on the development of chronic pain between Waves 2 and 3, over and above covariates.

Study 1 Results

Predictor and outcome variable descriptive statistics for cross-sectional analyses and for longitudinal analysis can be found in Table 2 . Results of cross-sectional analyses within each Wave for headache, backache, joint pain, and extremities pain can be found in Table 3 . Controlling for demographics and health variables, coherence was associated with less pain frequency for all domains within each Wave, excluding Wave 3 headaches (while not significant, trended in the same direction), whereas purpose was only associated with less frequent headaches and less frequent back pain in Wave 2 and with more frequent joint pain in Wave 3. Mattering was only associated with more frequent back pain in Wave 2.

Study 1 Variable Descriptive Statistics

Notes : Study 1 – predictor and outcome variable descriptive statistics for cross-sectional analyses in Waves 2 and 3, selecting those participants who indicated not having chronic pain in each respective Wave. Note that pain frequency scores were reverse coded relative to the MIDUS dataset so that higher scores indicate more frequent instances of pain. For longitudinal assessment of the development of chronic pain, we selected participants who reported not having chronic pain at Wave 2 and who also had complete data at Wave 3.

Facets of Meaning Predicting Pain Frequencies

Notes : Study 1 - hierarchical regression of predictors of the frequency of experiencing four different types of pain over the past 30 days for participants who do not report having chronic pain in Waves 2 and 3 of the MIDUS. A) Headache. B) Back pain. C) Joint pain. D) Extremities pain. Note that pain frequency scores were reverse coded relative to the MIDUS dataset so that higher scores indicate more frequent instances of pain. Also note that the possible number of conditions participants could have selected was 30 in Wave 2, and 39 in Wave 3. * p <0.05; ** p <0.01; *** p < 0.001. Bold values indicate significant predictor variables of interest.

Results of longitudinal analysis showed that coherence (OR = 0.948, 95% CI [0.906, 0.992], p = 0.021), but not purpose (OR = 0.995, 95% CI [0.974, 1.018], p = 0.687), or mattering (OR = 1.013, 95% CI [0.972, 1.056], p = 0.546) was associated with decreased odds of developing chronic pain controlling for all other variables ( Table 4 ). The number of chronic conditions was the only other significant predictor for the development of chronic pain (OR = 1.129, 95% CI [1.055, 1.208], p < 0.001).

Longitudinal Predictors of the Development of Chronic Pain

Notes : Study 1 – binary logistic regression with the three facets of meaning predicting the development of chronic pain between Waves 2 and 3 of the MIDUS (controlling for age, sex, education, marital status, and race). Bold values indicate significant predictor variables of interest.

Study 1 Discussion

Study 1 provided initial evidence for the unique association of the three facets of MIL to pain experiences. Coherence was consistently and most strongly associated with less pain in all body regions relative to purpose and mattering. Purpose and mattering were both occasionally (and unexpectedly) associated with more frequent pain experiences. Importantly, the relationship between coherence and pain frequency was found even when controlling for other variables associated with both pain and meaning, such as depression and anxiety. 31–33 Furthermore, coherence at Wave 2, but not purpose or mattering, predicted reduced odds for developing chronic pain in Wave 3, suggesting that the ability to make sense of the world may help individuals interpret and overcome pain experiences that may lead to chronification. However, while the items used to assess coherence and mattering appear to capture the essence of each respective construct, the measures were developed to assess different aspects of social well-being, not MIL per se. 27–29 Recently, researchers have developed new measures to specifically measure the three facets of MIL. 14 As such, we conducted a second study using this newer validated measure of MIL to conceptually replicate the findings of Study 1. Additionally, to further distinguish between associations of the three facets within MIL, we assessed global MIL and conducted mediation analysis to determine if coherence drives the relationship between meaning constructs and pain outcomes.

Study 2 Method

Participants were recruited from an undergraduate student research pool and were compensated with class credit. Participants (n = 519) were predominantly female (n = 366), ranging from 18 to 24 years old (M = 18.68, SD = 0.99), with sample size based off of suggested power analyses. 34 , 35 Participants identified as White (n = 410), Asian (n = 46), more than one race or multiracial (n = 19), Black or African American (n = 17), (South Asian) Indian (n = 9), American Indian/Alaska Native (n = 8), Other (n = 3; specifically: 1 Hispanic, 1 Latino, and 1 declined to respond), and 7 participants chose not to provide this information. In response to a separate question assessing ethnicity, 112 participants also identified as Hispanic/Latino. This study was approved by the Texas A&M University IRB.

Participants were administered a survey online on a device of their own choosing. After providing informed consent, participants completed the questionnaires described below, and were then debriefed. The study took approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Meaning in Life

Global MIL and its three facets were assessed using Costin & Vignoles’ recently validated scale. 14 Participants rated their agreement with each item on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Global MIL was assessed with four items (α = 0.892) such as “My life as a whole has meaning”. Coherence was assessed with four items (α = 0.677) such as “I can make sense of the things that happen in my life”, purpose (α = 0.803) with four items such as “I have a good sense of what I am trying to accomplish in life”, and mattering (α = 0.823) with four items such as “Even considering how big the universe is, I can say that my life matters”. Two items within each measurement were reverse coded; scores were calculated as the average of the four items within each domain.

Pain severity was assessed using the four-item severity subsection of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). 36 Participants reported their current pain as well as their average, lowest, and worst pain during the past week on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (pain as bad as you can imagine). A total severity score was calculated as the average of the four items (α = 0.833).

Anxiety was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7). 37 Participants were asked to rate how frequently they had been bothered by seven items (eg “feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge”) over the previous 2 weeks on a scale of 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). Anxiety scores were calculated as the sum of the items (α = 0.894).

Depression was assessed using the depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). 38 Participants indicated the extent to which 14 items (eg “I felt downhearted and blue”) applied to them over the past week using a scale of 0 (did not apply to me at all) to 3 (applied to me very much or most of the time). Depression scores were calculated as the sum of the items (α = 0.954).

Analyses were conducted using SPSS (version 25; IBM Corp, Armonk, NY). A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to determine the independent predictive value of facets of meaning on pain severity over and above covariates. Demographics (age, gender, and race) and covariates known to be associated with pain and MIL (depression and anxiety) were included in the first two steps of the regression, respectively. 39–41 Coherence, purpose, and mattering were added concurrently in the final step of the model. To further differentiate between the facets and their association with pain, we conducted a mediation analyses with the three facets of MIL entered together as mediators between global meaning in life and pain severity using Hayes’ PROCESS macro for SPSS.

Study 2 Results

Predictor and outcome variable descriptive statistics can be found in Table 5 . Bivariate correlations indicate that pain severity was negatively correlated with global MIL, coherence, and purpose, but was not correlated with mattering ( Table 6 ). Regression analysis found that the negative relationship between coherence and pain severity remained even after controlling for covariates (β = −0.182, 95% CI [−0.488, −0.118], p = 0.001), while the relationship with purpose was no longer significant (β = 0.011, 95% CI [−0.144, 0.176], p = 0.846); furthermore, a positive association between mattering and pain severity emerged (β = 0.124, 95% CI [0.034, 0.277], p = 0.012; Table 7 ).

Study 2 Variable Descriptive Statistics

Note : Study 2 - participant variable descriptive statistics.

Meaning in Life, Its Facets, and Pain Correlations

Notes : Study 2 – correlations between global meaning in life, its facets, and pain severity. ** p <0.01; *** p < 0.001.

Facets of Meaning Predicting Pain Severity

Notes : Study 2 - hierarchical regression with the three facets of meaning predicting pain severity, controlling for demographics, anxiety, and depression. * p <0.05; ** p <0.01; *** p < 0.001. Bold values indicate significant predictor variables of interest.

Within mediation analysis, global MIL was used to predict pain severity, with the three facets added concurrently as mediators ( Figure 1 ). The total effects of MIL on pain severity were significantly and negatively related. Global MIL was positively associated with each facet of MIL. In turn, coherence negatively predicted pain severity, mattering positively predicted pain severity, and purpose had no significant association. After taking coherence into account, global MIL had no direct effect on pain severity.

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Study 2 – Mediation analysis with Global Meaning in Life as the predictor, the facets of Meaning in Life (ie, coherence, purpose, and mattering) as the mediators, and pain severity as the outcome.

Study 2 Discussion

Study 2 supported and built upon the findings of Study 1 such that coherence was uniquely associated with less severe pain. While purpose had no association with pain severity, mattering was associated with greater pain severity, further supporting the results of Study 1. These findings were strengthened through coherence’s complete mediation of the relationship between global MIL and pain severity, suggesting that assessing MIL by itself may fail to capture individual variations in pain outcomes, further supporting the need to measure all facets when predicting an individual’s pain experiences. However, this study was limited by its cross-sectional design; as such, we conducted a third study to further assess the impact of the individual facets of MIL on pain severity longitudinally. We also wanted to support the validity of our findings using the same current measure of the facets of MIL used in Study 2.

Study 3 Methods

Participants were undergraduates recruited through the university’s psychology student research pool as part of a larger study assessing existentialism. There were 155 participants, 17 of whom were excluded for failing an integrity check item or failing to complete at least 2 of the weekly surveys, leaving the study sufficiently powered for repeated measures. 34 , 42 , 43 The final sample ( N = 138) was 66.4% White 16.4% Asian, 12.1% Hispanic/Latino, 1.4% Black, and 3.6% did not report. Their ages ranged from 18 to 25 ( M = 19.01, SD = 1.12). Within the final sample, 60.0% of participants completed all four weekly surveys, 30.7% completed 3, and 9.3% completed 2 weekly surveys. Participants were compensated with course credit. This study was approved by the Texas A&M University IRB.

Participants initially had two weeks to complete a baseline survey. Three weeks after this window concluded, all participants were emailed the links to follow-up surveys each Monday for four consecutive Mondays. Participants had 24 hours to complete each follow-up survey before the link expired. Once they completed the fourth weekly survey, their participation was complete. All surveys were taken online using Qualtrics software.

MIL was assessed using the same scales used in Study 2. 14 At the baseline measurement, items were framed at the trait level, using the same language as Study 2. The weekly measures were framed in reference to the past week (eg, “This week, I could make sense of the things that happened in my life.”).

Pain severity was again assessed using the four-item severity subsection of the BPI. 36 Descriptive and scale statistics for all study materials can be found in Table 8 .

Descriptive and Scale Statistics for Primary Study Variables

Notes : Study 3 - all MIL scales range from 1 (low MIL) to 7 (high MIL). The pain scale ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain you can imagine).

Analyses were conducted using Jamovi version 1.6.23. We utilized linear mixed-modeling to determine whether each facet of weekly MIL would independently predict weekly pain severity. All weekly predictor variables were nested within-individuals, and were centered based on each individual’s unique mean (ie, cluster-based centered). For a model that included trait-level MIL, these variables were centered based on the sample mean. All models used a random intercept.

Study 3 Results

First, we tested whether weekly fluctuations in coherence, purpose, and mattering would predict weekly fluctuations in pain. Coherence emerged as a significant negative predictor of pain severity, b = −0.25 (SE = 0.08), t = −3.04, p = 0.003, 95% CI [−.42, −0.09]. Neither purpose, b = −0.09 (SE = 0.09), t = −1.01, p = 0.314, 95% CI [−.26, 0.08], nor mattering, b = −0.14 (SE = 0.09), t = −1.49, p = 0.136, 95% CI [−.31, 0.04] were significant predictors of pain severity.

Next, we entered baseline measurements of the facets into the model to determine whether trait levels of coherence, purpose, and mattering predicted weekly fluctuations in pain above and beyond weekly fluctuations in MIL. In this model, baseline coherence predicted the most unique variance in weekly pain ( Table 9 ). Baseline purpose also emerged as a significant positive predictor. All weekly measures of the facets became nonsignificant.

Linear Mixed Model with MIL Facets Predicting Pain Severity

Notes : Study 3 - baseline measures are mean-centered, weekly measures are cluster-based centered. Bold values indicate significant predictor variables of interest.

Study 3 Discussion

The results of Study 3 supported the findings of Study 2, extending them to a longitudinal design. Weekly fluctuations in coherence uniquely negatively predicted weekly fluctuations in pain severity over and above the purpose and mattering. Furthermore, baseline coherence was the strongest predictor of pain severity when weekly and baseline measures of purpose and mattering were included in the model. The finding that baseline purpose positively predicted pain severity – while unexpected – replicates results from Study 1 showing that greater purpose was associated with more frequent joint pain in Wave 3. Overall, these results provide further support for the unique predictive power of coherence in pain outcomes.

General Discussion

Meaning in life, as a broad construct, has previously been identified as a pain-related resilience factor. However, MIL researchers generally recognize that the nuanced nature of the concept comprises multiple facets – including coherence, purpose, and mattering – that contribute to overall MIL. Identifying their unique relationships with pain can guide future research and improve current clinical practices that incorporate MIL. Across three separate studies, coherence was consistently associated with lower pain experiences to a greater degree than purpose or mattering, even when controlling for other pain- and MIL-related variables. This finding was robust and consistent across three large and unique samples, using both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. This included pain severity in young adults, the frequency of headache, back pain, joint pain, and extremities pain within two separate Waves of the MIDUS, as well as the development of chronic pain across Waves. Furthermore, coherence completely mediated the relationship between global MIL and pain severity, suggesting that it may be more indicative of pain outcomes than global MIL itself.

These results help clarify the unique role that individual facets of MIL play in regard to pain outcomes. Coherence involves incorporating the events of the past and present and projections of the future to envision one’s life and environment as a whole. 11 Individuals with greater coherence may be better adapted to weave painful experiences into their overall life-view, reducing worry about pain experiences by integrating them into their understanding of the world. One way this may occur is via acceptance of painful experiences; acceptance of disease is associated with better health outcomes in general (eg lower disability and increased life satisfaction), as well as with a higher sense of coherence. 44 , 45 Others have suggested that coherence may be associated with healthier lifestyle choices (eg physical activity), potentially further protecting against the development of pain-related outcomes. 46 Future research should seek to elucidate precisely why judgments of coherence relate to pain outcomes in this way, and how this relationship might advance current understandings of both MIL and pain.

One unexpected finding was that mattering was associated with more frequent back pain in Study 1 and greater pain severity in Study 2. One possible explanation for this relationship is that a sense of mattering involves focusing on how one’s life has an impact on others or something greater than themselves. 14 A concern about one’s obligations and contribution to others might increase distress when one is unable to fulfill that duty due to their pain, which may in turn further amplify pain. 47 , 48 Indeed, recent research suggests that, for Americans, not disengaging from personal obligations increases the risk for inflammation and poor cardiovascular health. 49 Additionally, having a greater sense of mattering may involve self-enhancement, or the tendency to overestimate the positive aspects of one’s self while downplaying the negative (eg, “My existence is significant in the grand scheme of things”) which may over-inflate the extent to which one feels that they matter to others or in general. 11 , 50 However, those that self-enhance are often overly optimistic and tend to believe that they are less likely to develop disease, and are more likely to avoid or downplay self-relevant health information. 51 In turn, these thought processes engender the belief that one is immune to the effects of participating in risky behavior. Together the optimistic views of one’s health along with the disregard of beneficial health information may contribute to greater pain experiences for those for whom mattering is important.

Purpose, meanwhile, is driven by the pursuit of multiple life goals. 52 As such, pain may interfere with one’s ability to complete their goals, affecting one’s purpose, as well as increasing stress or depression that in turn may contribute to pain chronification. 53 , 54 For instance, people with cancer whose goals were defined by career success, financial stability, and independence reported reduced purpose from before chemotherapy began to follow-ups months later. 55 However, these individuals continued to emphasize the importance of those goals, suggesting that the difficulty or inability to achieve them due to chemotherapy was potentially impacting their purpose. Having purpose may help motivate people to push through pain but may not act to prevent its development, frequency, or severity. Ultimately, these interpretations are speculative, and future research should aim to further clarify these relationships.

There were a few limitations to this research. First, the measurement of pain varied across studies. Whereas Study 1 assessed the frequency of recent pains and the development of chronic pain over time, Studies 2 and 3 measured recent pain severity. However, the consistent finding that coherence, but not purpose or mattering, was associated with multiple types of pain experiences strengthens the reliability of these findings. Second, the samples included only participants in the United States; as the concept of MIL has been shown to vary between cultures, it would be reasonable to predict that the relationships between pain and different facets of meaning may differ in other populations. 66 Furthermore, the lack of racial and ethnic diversity within the MIDUS (Study 1) limits the generalizability of this (widely used) sample. While the representation of most racial groups in Studies 2 and 3 more closely resembles 2019 population estimates in the United States, Black Americans were underrepresented in these samples, and this approach is known to underrepresent the experiences of minoritized populations. 67 Finally, we used different measures to assess the facets of MIL in Study 1 relative to Studies 2 and 3, as we used opensource data for Study 1 and utilized the measures available to us within that data. However, the questionnaires in the MIDUS have been validated and tap into each facet, and the measures used in Studies 2 and 3 are current adaptations of the constructs, with some of the items being repurposed from those early measures. 14 , 27–29 Nonetheless, future studies should continue to use the most current measures of MIL within health-related research.

This investigation potentially contributes to the understanding of how the association between MIL and pain relates to other important life outcomes. For example, previous research suggests that chronic pain can negatively impact one’s phenomenological experience of self. 56 Multi-method approaches to understanding these abstract relationships are needed in order to better contextualize the diverse psychological consequences of pain and their practical implications. 57 Chronic pain can frequently lead to outcomes like depression, anxiety, and suicidality, which are themselves closely tied to disruptions in MIL and demoralization. 58–60 Elucidation of the mechanistic forces behind these relationships (eg, the unique contribution of coherence) can further contextualize previous research and ultimately inform future investigations aimed at reducing the individual and societal costs of pain.

The current findings have important clinical implications as well. Clinical interventions focusing on addressing MIL have been implemented to increase well-being and optimism, and to decrease anxiety. 24 Furthermore, patients suffering from pain have expressed interest in incorporating meaning in life interventions; targeting coherence specifically may bolster the success of these interventions. 61 While empirical support for meaning-based interventions is scant, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain relies in part on value formation, identity building and mindfulness meditation to foster psychological flexibility. 62 , 63 Given that self-knowledge and mindfulness both positively predict MIL, it is reasonable to speculate that ACT improves pain experiences in part through sense-making processes. 64 , 65 Further, the identity-specific aspects of ACT may provide context and theoretical support for the unique importance of coherence that was observed here.

In conclusion, the current findings highlight the unique contribution of coherence in buffering against pain experiences. Further, these findings are the first to demonstrate the importance of studying individual facets of MIL together in the context of pain. Rather than focusing on MIL broadly, future studies and clinical interventions could benefit from incorporating measures of coherence, purpose, and mattering in their assessment of pain outcomes to observe their distinct impacts on pain experiences.

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

This research did not receive any grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Portions of these data were to be presented at the International Association for the Study of Pain’s 2020 World Congress on Pain in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (postponed due to COVID-19).

Essay on Life Worst Experience

Students are often asked to write an essay on Life Worst Experience in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Life Worst Experience

Introduction.

Life is full of ups and downs. We all experience good and bad times. Sometimes, the bad times can be very tough. They can be our life’s worst experiences. These experiences can be hard, but they also teach us important lessons.

Understanding Worst Experiences

Worst experiences in life are events that make us feel very sad or upset. They can be things like failing a test, losing a loved one, or getting hurt. These experiences can be very hard to deal with. But they are also a part of life.

Learning from Bad Times

Even though worst experiences can be difficult, they can also help us grow. They can teach us how to be strong and how to handle tough situations. They can make us understand life better.

In conclusion, life’s worst experiences can be hard, but they are also important. They teach us valuable lessons and help us grow. So, we should not be afraid of them. Instead, we should learn from them and become stronger.

250 Words Essay on Life Worst Experience

Life is a journey full of ups and downs. We all face good and bad times. This essay talks about a very bad experience in life. This is something we all can learn from.

The Bad Day

One day, I went to a park with my friends. We planned to play and have fun. But things didn’t go as we thought. I fell off a swing and hurt myself badly. It was the worst pain I had ever felt. I couldn’t walk and my friends were scared.

Getting Help

My friends quickly called my parents. They rushed me to a hospital. The doctors were kind and helpful. They took good care of me. But the pain was too much. I had never felt so helpless before.

Lessons Learned

This experience taught me many things. I learned that life can be tough. But we can face any problem if we stay strong. I also learned the value of friendship. My friends helped me in my tough time. They showed me that friends are very important in life.

This was my worst experience in life. It was full of pain and fear. But it also taught me some important lessons. Life is not always easy. But we can face any challenge with courage and help from our friends.

500 Words Essay on Life Worst Experience

Everyone faces ups and downs in life. Sometimes, we come across experiences that are so bad, they leave a lasting impression. These experiences can be painful, but they also teach us valuable lessons. This essay will talk about such a worst life experience.

The Unfortunate Event

One day, I was walking home from school when I saw a small kitten on the road. It was raining heavily, and the kitten was soaked and shivering. I felt a strong need to help it. I picked it up and decided to take it home. I was sure my parents would let me keep it.

The Unexpected Response

When I reached home, I showed the kitten to my parents. To my surprise, they did not react as I had expected. They told me we could not keep the kitten because my younger sister was allergic to cats. I was heartbroken. I had already grown attached to the little creature and couldn’t imagine letting it go.

A Difficult Decision

I had to make a tough choice. I either had to let the kitten go, or I had to find it a new home. I decided to find it a new home where it would be loved and cared for. I talked to my friends and neighbours, and finally found a loving home for the kitten.

Learning from the Experience

This was one of the worst experiences of my life. It was very hard for me to let go of the kitten. I felt like I was abandoning it. But this experience taught me a lot. I learned that sometimes, we have to make difficult decisions for the greater good. I also learned that it’s important to think about others’ needs before our own.

Even though this was a painful experience, it taught me valuable lessons about responsibility and sacrifice. It was a tough time, but it helped me grow as a person. So, even the worst experiences in life can teach us something important. We just need to be open to learning from them.

This essay is a simple example of how a bad experience can be a great teacher. It is important to remember that every experience, good or bad, shapes us into who we are. So, instead of being upset about bad experiences, we should try to learn from them and grow.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Essay on Life Without Technology
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Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Experience With Death in Personal Life Essay

Introduction, nervousness and prolonged sadness, prolonged sadness, pain of loss.

Death as a phenomenon inevitably leaves an imprint on a person’s mental and physical state. Unfortunately, experiencing the death of a loved one is even more complicated than an abstract death. One always wants to prolong time with someone one has lost, but it is impossible, which is why death is such a challenging event. Death is hard for everyone, especially when it affects their family. Facing death is an ordeal because it leads to nervousness, prolonged sadness, and pain of loss.

First, facing death is an ordeal because there is nervousness after a loss. It leads to an altered perception of reality, in which one is exposed to dangers in the form of illness or a car accident. The nervousness is kept at a high level, preventing one from functioning and adequately perceiving difficulties and obstacles. I believe it relates to the fear of death, which develops and strengthens after experiencing a loss. The person needs to come to terms with death but is worried that something terrible will happen to him or other loved ones. The fear of being alone further likely increases our nervousness, which is why it becomes so hard for us after the loss of someone.

Second, facing death is an ordeal because after a loss person gets prolonged sadness. It is a normal feeling after death because we long for the person who has died. Our sadness is an attempt to cope with anxiety and negative expressive emotions. I think it is essential for us to have time to grieve and be sad because losing a dear person is challenging, regardless of the conditions. Even prerequisites (for example, illness) will not diminish sadness after death because we are deprived of some good stuff. Prolonged sadness is a time for reflection and remembrance of good moments together.

Third, facing death is an ordeal because we feel the pain of loss. I faced the death of a loved one not too long ago, so the memories are still fresh and evoke unpleasant memories. In 2009, my grandmother had breast cancer: a horrible disease that can nevertheless go into remission. Nevertheless, the cancer came back, and the disease began to progress-the horrible disease affected the family. Cancer took over the bones and the eye, followed by the discovery of stomach cancer. It was scary because the disease was progressing, and my grandmother needed chemotherapy every two weeks. We were all afraid for her and tried to spend time together, but we still lost her. In July 2020, we went on a trip to Eufaula: it was hard, but we supported each other. We lost her in September 2020, which is a bad time for everyone. The death affected us, and it took us a long time to recover, but we had to cope with the misfortune. Memories of the loss were gradually replaced only by good moments with Grandma, but the death was still hard on us.

Nervousness, prolonged sadness, and pain of loss are reasons why death is an ordeal. The experience of facing death occurred a couple of years ago when my grandmother died. The debilitating illness and difficult treatment undermined our mental stability, but we still tried to support each other. The death left an imprint on me because I lost a loved one. I believe the most valuable thing about this experience is recognizing the transience of time and trying to create as many good moments as possible with loved ones.

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The physical sensations of watching a total solar eclipse

Regina Barber, photographed for NPR, 6 June 2022, in Washington DC. Photo by Farrah Skeiky for NPR.

Regina G. Barber

Science writer David Baron witnesses his first total solar eclipse in Aruba, 1998. He says seeing one is "like you've left the solar system and are looking back from some other world." Paul Myers hide caption

Science writer David Baron witnesses his first total solar eclipse in Aruba, 1998. He says seeing one is "like you've left the solar system and are looking back from some other world."

David Baron can pinpoint the first time he got addicted to chasing total solar eclipses, when the moon completely covers up the sun. It was 1998 and he was on the Caribbean island of Aruba. "It changed my life. It was the most spectacular thing I'd ever seen," he says.

Baron, author of the 2017 book American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World , wants others to witness its majesty too. On April 8, millions of people across North America will get that chance — a total solar eclipse will appear in the sky. Baron promises it will be a surreal, otherworldly experience. "It's like you've left the solar system and are looking back from some other world."

Baron, who is a former NPR science reporter, talks to Life Kit about what to expect when viewing a total solar eclipse, including the sensations you may feel and the strange lighting effects in the sky. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Baron views the beginning of a solar eclipse with friends in Western Australia in 2023. Baron says getting to see the solar corona during a total eclipse is "the most dazzling sight in the heavens." Photographs by David Baron; Bronson Arcuri, Kara Frame, CJ Riculan/NPR; Collage by Becky Harlan/NPR hide caption

Baron views the beginning of a solar eclipse with friends in Western Australia in 2023. Baron says getting to see the solar corona during a total eclipse is "the most dazzling sight in the heavens."

What does it feel like to experience a total solar eclipse — those few precious minutes when the moon completely covers up the sun?

It is beautiful and absolutely magnificent. It comes on all of a sudden. As soon as the moon blocks the last rays of the sun, you're plunged into this weird twilight in the middle of the day. You look up and the blue sky has been torn away. On any given day, the blue sky overhead acts as a screen that keeps us from seeing what's in space. And suddenly that's gone. So you can look into the middle of the solar system and see the sun and the planets together.

Can you tell me about the sounds and the emotions you're feeling?

A total solar eclipse is so much more than something you just see with your eyes. It's something you experience with your whole body. [With the drop in sunlight], birds will be going crazy. Crickets may be chirping. If you're around other people, they're going to be screaming and crying [with all their emotions from seeing the eclipse]. The air temperature drops because the sunlight suddenly turns off. And you're immersed in the moon's shadow. It doesn't feel real.

Everything you need to know about solar eclipse glasses before April 8

In your 2017 Ted Talk , you said you felt like your eyesight was failing in the moments before totality. Can you go into that a little more?

The lighting effects are very weird. Before you get to the total eclipse, you have a progressive partial eclipse as the moon slowly covers the sun. So over the course of an hour [or so], the sunlight will be very slowly dimming. It's as if you're in a room in a house and someone is very slowly turning down the dimmer switch. For most of that time your eyes are adjusting and you don't notice it. But then there's a point at which the light's getting so dim that your eyes can't adjust, and weird things happen. Your eyes are less able to see color. It's as if the landscape is losing its color. Also there's an effect where the shadows get very strange.

Crescent-shaped shadows cast by the solar eclipse before it reaches totality appear on a board at an eclipse-viewing event in Antelope, Ore., 2017. Kara Frame and CJ Riculan/NPR hide caption

You see these crescents on the ground.

There are two things that happen. One is if you look under a tree, the spaces between leaves or branches will act as pinhole projectors. So you'll see tiny little crescents everywhere. But there's another effect. As the sun goes from this big orb in the sky to something much smaller, shadows grow sharper. As you're nearing the total eclipse, if you have the sun behind you and you look at your shadow on the ground, you might see individual hairs on your head. It's just very odd.

Some people might say that seeing the partial eclipse is just as good. They don't need to go to the path of totality.

A partial solar eclipse is a very interesting experience. If you're in an area where you see a deep partial eclipse, the sun will become a crescent like the moon. You can only look at it with eye protection. Don't look at it with the naked eye . The light can get eerie. It's fun, but it is not a thousandth as good as a total eclipse.

A total eclipse is a fundamentally different experience, because it's only when the moon completely blocks the sun that you can actually take off the eclipse glasses and look with the naked eye at the sun.

And you will see a sun you've never seen before. That bright surface is gone. What you're actually looking at is the sun's outer atmosphere, the solar corona. It's the most dazzling sight in the heavens. It's this beautiful textured thing. It looks sort of like a wreath or a crown made out of tinsel or strands of silk. It shimmers in space. The shape is constantly changing. And you will only see that if you're in the path of the total eclipse.

Shots - Health News

Watching a solar eclipse without the right filters can cause eye damage. here's why.

So looking at a partial eclipse is not the same?

It is not at all the same. Drive those few miles. Get into the path of totality.

This is really your chance to see a total eclipse. The next one isn't happening across the U.S. for another 20 years.

The next significant total solar eclipse in the United States won't be until 2045. That one will go from California to Florida and will cross my home state of Colorado. I've got it on my calendar.

The digital story was written by Malaka Gharib and edited by Sylvie Douglis and Meghan Keane. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at [email protected].

Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify , and sign up for our newsletter .

NPR will be sharing highlights here from across the NPR Network throughout the day Monday if you're unable to get out and see it in real time.

Correction April 3, 2024

In a previous audio version of this story, we made reference to an upcoming 2025 total solar eclipse. The solar eclipse in question will take place in 2045.

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Did you look at the solar eclipse too long? Doctors explain signs of eye damage

By Sara Moniuszko

Edited By Allison Elyse Gualtieri

Updated on: April 8, 2024 / 3:42 PM EDT / CBS News

Did you look up at the solar eclipse without your safety glasses ? Looking at the sun — even when it's partially covered like during the eclipse on April 8 — can cause eye damage.

There is no safe dose of solar ultraviolet rays or infrared radiation, said Dr. Yehia Hashad , an ophthalmologist, retinal specialist and the chief medical officer at eye health company Bausch + Lomb.

"A very small dose could cause harm to some people," he said. "That's why we say the partial eclipse could also be damaging. And that's why we protect our eyes with the partial as well as with the full sun."

But how do you know if you've hurt your vision? We asked eye doctors what to know.

Is it a sign of eye damage if your eyes hurt after looking at the eclipse?

Your eyes likely won't hurt if you look at the eclipse without protection — but that doesn't make it any less dangerous.

In fact, the painlessness is part of why the event is so concerning to eye care professionals, said Dr. Jason P. Brinton, an ophthalmologist and medical director at Brinton Vision in St. Louis.

"Everyone knows don't look at the sun. If you go out on a bright day and try to look at the sun — it's very uncomfortable, very bright. So most people intuitively associate that with something they should not be doing," Brinton said. "But with the eclipse, so much of that is blocked and so that natural sense of discomfort and aversion to the brightness is not there."

In some cases, the sun can also damage the cornea, which can be painful, Brinton says.

"The good news is that this fully heals without lasting issues, so this is why we don't think about this aspect as much. The retinal issues, on the other hand, are painless and can have permanent, lasting effects on vision," he said.

What are other signs of eye damage from looking at a solar eclipse?

Hashad says there are a few "alarming signals" to be aware of, including:

Blurred vision
Scotomas, or dark spots: "You just see a black area or a black spot in the field of vision," Hashad said.
Color changes: "You don't see the colors the same way you were seeing it before," he said.
Distorted lines: Hashad says this is clinically known as metamorphopsia, which makes lines appear warped, distorted or bent.

"This could be happening unilateral or bilateral," he said. "So it doesn't necessarily happen in both eyes. It could be affecting one over the other or both eyes together."

Issues may not be apparent immediately, either, sometimes appearing one to a few days following the event.

And while some will regain normal visual function, sometimes the damage is permanent.

"Often there will be some recovery of the vision in the first few months after it, but sometimes there is no recovery and sometimes there's a degree to which it is permanent," Brinton said.

What should you do if you show symptoms of eye damage?

If you're experiencing any symptoms of eye damage, Hashad suggested people "immediately" seek an ophthalmologist's advice.

"Seeing an eye care professional to solidify the diagnosis and for education I think is reasonable," Brinton said.

Unfortunately, there isn't a treatment for solar retinopathy, the official name for the condition.

"Right now there is nothing that we do for this. Just wait and give it time and the body does tend to heal up a measure of it," Brinton explained.

That is why prevention is so important, and remains the "mainstay of treatment of solar retinopathy or solar damage to the retina," Hashad explained.

How long is too long to look at a solar eclipse without glasses?

Any amount of time looking at the solar eclipse without glasses is too long, experts said.

"Damage from the solar eclipse could happen to the retina in seconds," Hashad said. "That's why we don't want people to stare even for a short period of time — even if for a few seconds to the direct sun — whether eclipsed or even partially eclipsed."

Sara Moniuszko is a health and lifestyle reporter at CBSNews.com. Previously, she wrote for USA Today, where she was selected to help launch the newspaper's wellness vertical. She now covers breaking and trending news for CBS News' HealthWatch.

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What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like for the Past 2 Centuries

Millions of people on Monday will continue the tradition of experiencing and capturing solar eclipses, a pursuit that has spawned a lot of unusual gear.

Share full article

In a black-and-white photo from 1945, nine men, some in military uniforms, stand in the middle of a New York City street. They are holding a small piece of what looks like glass or a photographic negative above their heads to protect their eyes as they watch the eclipse. The original border of the print, as well as some numbers and crop marks drawn onto it, are visible.

By Sarah Eckinger

April 8, 2024

For centuries, people have been clamoring to glimpse solar eclipses. From astronomers with custom-built photographic equipment to groups huddled together with special glasses, this spectacle has captivated the human imagination.

Creating a Permanent Record

In 1860, Warren de la Rue captured what many sources describe as the first photograph of a total solar eclipse . He took it in Rivabellosa, Spain, with an instrument known as the Kew Photoheliograph . This combination of a telescope and camera was specifically built to photograph the sun.

Forty years later, Nevil Maskelyne, a magician and an astronomy enthusiast, filmed a total solar eclipse in North Carolina. The footage was lost, however, and only released in 2019 after it was rediscovered in the Royal Astronomical Society’s archives.

Telescopic Vision

For scientists and astronomers, eclipses provide an opportunity not only to view the moon’s umbra and gaze at the sun’s corona, but also to make observations that further their studies. Many observatories, or friendly neighbors with a telescope, also make their instruments available to the public during eclipses.

Fredrik Hjalmar Johansen, Fridtjof Nansen and Sigurd Scott Hansen observing a solar eclipse while on a polar expedition in 1894 .

Women from Wellesley College in Massachusetts and their professor tested out equipment ahead of their eclipse trip (to “catch old Sol in the act,” as the original New York Times article phrased it) to New London, Conn., in 1922.

A group from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania traveled to Yerbaniz, Mexico, in 1923, with telescopes and a 65-foot camera to observe the sun’s corona .

Dr. J.J. Nassau, director of the Warner and Swasey Observatory at Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, prepared to head to Douglas Hill, Maine, to study an eclipse in 1932. An entire freight car was required to transport the institution’s equipment.

Visitors viewed a solar eclipse at an observatory in Berlin in the mid-1930s.

A family set up two telescopes in Bar Harbor, Maine, in 1963. The two children placed stones on the base to help steady them.

An astronomer examined equipment for an eclipse in a desert in Mauritania in June 1973. We credit the hot climate for his choice in outfit.

Indirect Light

If you see people on Monday sprinting to your local park clutching pieces of paper, or with a cardboard box of their head, they are probably planning to reflect or project images of the solar eclipse onto a surface.

Cynthia Goulakos demonstrated a safe way to view a solar eclipse , with two pieces of cardboard to create a reflection of the shadowed sun, in Lowell, Mass., in 1970.

Another popular option is to create a pinhole camera. This woman did so in Central Park in 1963 by using a paper cup with a small hole in the bottom and a twin-lens reflex camera.

Amateur astronomers viewed a partial eclipse, projected from a telescope onto a screen, from atop the Empire State Building in 1967 .

Back in Central Park, in 1970, Irving Schwartz and his wife reflected an eclipse onto a piece of paper by holding binoculars on the edge of a garbage basket.

Children in Denver in 1979 used cardboard viewing boxes and pieces of paper with small pinholes to view projections of a partial eclipse.

A crowd gathered around a basin of water dyed with dark ink, waiting for the reflection of a solar eclipse to appear, in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1995.

Staring at the Sun (or, How Not to Burn Your Retinas)

Eclipse-gazers have used different methods to protect their eyes throughout the years, some safer than others .

In 1927, women gathered at a window in a building in London to watch a total eclipse through smoked glass. This was popularized in France in the 1700s , but fell out of favor when physicians began writing papers on children whose vision was damaged.

Another trend was to use a strip of exposed photographic film, as seen below in Sydney, Australia, in 1948 and in Turkana, Kenya, in 1963. This method, which was even suggested by The Times in 1979 , has since been declared unsafe.

Solar eclipse glasses are a popular and safe way to view the event ( if you use models compliant with international safety standards ). Over the years there have been various styles, including these large hand-held options found in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 1979.

Parents and children watched a partial eclipse through their eclipse glasses in Tokyo in 1981.

Slimmer, more colorful options were used in Nabusimake, Colombia, in 1998.

In France in 1999.

And in Iran and England in 1999.

And the best way to see the eclipse? With family and friends at a watch party, like this one in Isalo National Park in Madagascar in 2001.

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