An Ounce of Weirdness

Adjustments

This is what I realized during adjustment periods.

First. THE INVISIBLE PAIN. In reality, the pain is not invisible. It wasn't just felt yet. You will not acknowledge the pain. Your body emits agents that will not let you acknowledge the pain immediately. Just like in cases of emergency, our adrenaline just shows up and we can do the things that we don't usually do. Same with pain. Our brain works in a very cryptic way in dealing with pain. You won't be hurt immediately. Maybe, it's a part of our defense mechanism. Until the right time comes that we cannot deny it.

Second. WHEN THE PAIN STARTS TO CREEP IN. Usually, this is the longest part of the process. After some time, our defense might subside and there will be the time that the pain will start to creep into our system -- maybe, immediately or slowly. The pain is meant to be felt. It is its purpose. We can deny it as long as it may be, but when you started to feel it, it will not go away easily.

In some cases, the pain was always felt immeadiately right after it was emitted. For example, when we touched a hot surface or a sharp object. At the moment we touch it, our brain will release signals that it is hot or it stings and immediately, we will remove our hand away from the surface to not be hurt more. That's when the pain is felt immediately.

But in a rare few cases that the pain starts to creep in slowly, it is also the harder to deal with. Unlike in the former, that the pain could be easily dealt with, the latter makes it more difficult to deal and the longer the pain will subside. The moment that our brain acknowledge the pain, it will also release signals that we should move away or avoid contact to that particulat thing that gives us pain. But in this kind of pain -- the slower one, the brain is still confused whether to release signal to avoid contact or deny the pain. The more the brain is confused to release signal, the longer the pain will be felt and the harder it will be cured. Until such time, the pain will take more time to be felt, the longer the brain will send agents to cure it.

Sometimes, dealing with pain would need external factors such as medication, theraphy or more. Pain relievers will ease the pain for a while. But as long as the source of pain is still there, the pain will not go away. It will return and you will take more pain relievers to ease the pain. And the cycle goes on. Until such time that you will be immuned with the medication and your body will no longer accept it. Hence, the pain won't subside. This time, you will need a stronger pain reliever to ease it. But the cycle will still go on. If you won't deal with it, the more it will eat you out. Most of the time, we deal with pain with external factors but we also need to work with it internally. Pain is a mindset.

Lastly. ACCEPTANCE. Pain is meant to be felt, yes it is. Because it is a part of learning, and an important foundation to be a better version of yourself. If pain is a mindset, the cure is also in our mind. Once the pain is felt, it will hurt you. And the more you deny it, the more it will hurt you. And the moment you embrace it, the moment you accept it, then, that's the moment that you'll heal. Someone says, "Embrace the pain, 'til it hurts no more." People should learn to accept it to start to heal because that's the first step of the healing process. Others might also say, "Just pretend that it doesn't hurt until you convince yourself that it isn't. You could forget the pain, then, you would also forget that you are only pretending. Then, you would see, the pain will go away as if it wasn't there to begin with." The moment that the purpose of pain is met, that's the time that you'll heal. The process of healing is a different story. But the first step is acceptance. Accept that you need to be healed. Some healing process might take longer than the others or the other way around. Some pain will leave a scar, others won't. But the thing is, the pain is there to make you a better version of who you are.