Salon: Pain

Humans are fundamentally motivated to pursue pleasure and avoid pain. Yet, our behavior is bounded by floors and ceilings for these phenomena. Pain is (mostly) necessary for survival, so we can’t avoid it entirely. And unchecked pleasure can spiral into harm, so “everything in moderation” is commonly accepted wisdom. How do these tensions manifest when the natural order of pain and pleasure become distorted (e.g., chronic pain; substance use disorder)? This discussion will address these questions through the lens of affective neuroscience, psychology, and contemplative practices.

Patrick Finan is a member of the Faculty Research Council at the Contemplative Sciences Center. He is the Harold Carron Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He is a clinical pain psychologist and an expert in cognitive, behavioral, and affective mechanisms and treatments for chronic pain.