Clean and Dirty Pain

ACT Concept

Pain is something universally disliked, and it's only natural that we go to great lengths to avoid or alleviate it. This instinct is an integral part of our human nature.

However, have you ever wondered why some people seem to experience less pain than others?

To understand this, we can categorize pain into two types: clean pain and dirty pain.

Clean pain is the pain that we don't have much control over; it's the genuine and often unavoidable emotional discomfort that arises in response to life's challenges.

On the other hand, dirty pain is the additional suffering we inflict upon ourselves through our reactions to clean pain.

Clean pain begins right from the day we are born when we are thrust into a bright, noisy, cold, and unfamiliar world. As we grow, this pain evolves from physical discomfort to emotional distress. Our minds, in their quest to protect us, become remarkably inventive in devising ways to shield us from pain. Sometimes, they create stories or defenses that offer temporary relief.

However, these solutions are fleeting, and the pain inevitably resurfaces. Our minds tend to stick to what has worked in the past, repeating these familiar strategies and compounding more and more dirty pain in the process.

This is a normal human tendency. Our minds are neither our foes nor our allies; they operate in their unique ways. Occasionally, they serve us well, while at other times, they exacerbate our problems.

Consider the case of Vincent, who shared his distressing thoughts about potential tragedies befalling his mother.