In a recent episode of ‘The formula podcast’, psychiatrist and writer Marian Rojas Estapé shared a reflection on the importance of allowing ourselves to experience small doses of pain to achieve a healthy balance between pleasure and suffering. This approach, according to Rojas Estapé, can have positive effects on our mental and emotional well-being.
“In that balance of pleasure-pain: on one side is pleasure, pulling, pulling, pulling; and on the other side is pain. What has been discovered is that when you allow microdoses of pain, the body begins to generate endogenous dopamine to balance that rope,” explained Rojas Estapé. He exemplified this concept by mentioning everyday acts such as waiting before satisfying an immediate need, which allows the body to create an adaptive response to discomfort.
Rojas Estapé extended his explanation with an example related to skiing, describing how the discomforts of the sport – such as tight boots and the cold – make the subsequent rewards, such as taking off the boots and having a hot drink, much more rewarding. “The moment you take off your boot, get to a place, drink something hot, it’s indescribable, but it comes because you’ve had a little bit of pain,” he commented.
Another example cited was the Camino de Santiago, where pilgrims endure various discomforts during the journey. Upon arriving at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the emotional reward is greater due to the effort and suffering experienced during the trip. “You don’t feel the same if you come by car or by plane, as if you come from walking through the mountains,” said Rojas Estapé.
Taking the idea to the extreme, the psychiatrist mentioned how some people who have overcome addictions undergo painful experiences, such as cold showers or ice baths, to generate dopamine similar to that obtained during their addiction. “That dopamine that is generated reminds them of the dopamine of that time,” she explained.
Finally, Rojas Estapé launched an educational message about the importance of not immediately satisfying all our desires and of learning to manage pain and discomfort. “Sometimes I have a discomfort and I endure it,” she concluded, emphasizing that this conscious management can contribute significantly to personal development and emotional balance.
