Posted by Bob on September 9, 1999, at 23:57:54
In reply to Pain addiction..., posted by Dee on September 9, 1999, at 15:21:55
I wouldn't be surprised.
I mean, I don't put much faith in operant conditioning for higher cognitive functioning, but it's hard to argue with its results in modifying behavior. The thing about it is that what counts as a punishment or as a reward depends on the learner.
A perhaps obvious or at least overt example would be someone into self-mutilation. Cutting yourself up doesn't sound like fun -- but I think making the jump to seeing how at the level of brain function and chemistry it could be triggering your "reward system".
The way I rip into myself when I'm depressed seems to me to be the same sort of thing, only the scars are on the inside. I think besides any neurochemical thing going on, there can also be some twisted psychological part reinforcing it -- that ripping myself apart is the right thing to do. It's a very frightening thing to me ... but I do have to admit that hiding underneath all the pain I might be feeling, particularly when I'm in some rage against myself, that there's a wild sense of joy in what I'm doing.
Cheers,
Bob
poster:Bob
thread:11308
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990829/msgs/11319.html