You?ve got pain? Where does it hurt?

cyberguy

You?ve got pain? Physical or mental; well, I?m not here to judge you! However, where does it hurt? What troubles you, day-after-day?

When I was an elder in Florida, about 20 out of 65 publishers (from all ages), were on some kind of doctor-prescribed medication! Not that they didn?t need it, but I suspect that JW?s (and x-JW?s) have extreme ?pain? for whatever reason (I know I do)!

I have to believe that a number of you dear board-members have a ton of pain, for whatever reason (not just because you?ve finally figured-out JW?s are nuts). My heart goes out to all of you dear folks! And there?s nothing especially wrong with you if you are on medication! Thank God for drugs! I might have to get on some drugs myself, before much longer!

Wish you all the best. Please tell us of your troubles, if you so desire (no pressure here...); it?s somewhat therapeutic I believe, for those that read your comments! Thank you in advance for your kindly comments!

Best wishes, and happy drug-therapy! And I mean this in a kindly way! You're doing nothing wrong by taking drug-prescribed medication! Take care!

Mac

Nope....never been on pain medication...back started to bother me a bit a couple of years ago but, I researched and found an exercise that freed me from that discomfort.

mac, just a pup class

Dansk

I learnt my two daughters, still JWs and shunning the rest of the family, are on antidepressants - and they are only 25 and 20 years old. Numerous JWs are on similar medication, many have committed suicide, many live in fear, many have ME, etc. I should say that JWs suffer more stress-related diseases than the average person. Two homeopaths I recently consulted said they have treated many JWs for stress. One only needs to read some of the posts here, my own early ones included, to realise just how much stress is caused by the organisation.

A recent survey in the UK undertaken by the Guardian newspaper, I think (?), highlighted that Buddhists are the happiest people on earth. Being a Buddhist myself now I can quite believe it. There is no pressure what-so-ever put on being a Buddhist. We just live and let live, accept everything is impermanent and that we are all going to die and that karma determines conditions in this or the next life. I feel closer to 'God' than at any other time in my life - 'God' being within. Fear of death is brought about through ignorance and a desire to cling to what is impermanent. To realise this is to understand what death is and to welcome it as part of the journey.

Do I want to die? Of course not! Not yet, because there is so much I want to do, not least to help many others understand the nature of suffering (dukkha) and how it can be alleviated. Before I can do this fully I have to make myself well. This is where so many here have been tremendously helpful.

One thing's for sure, one needs to fully understand the cause of one's malady and to treat THAT and not just the symptoms.

Metta (loving kindness) to all,

Ian

Mulan

I am taking Ibuprofen for a very sore toe and knee. I fell down the stairs at home on Thursday, twisted my knee and slammed one of my toes onto something. It happened too fast to know exactly what. Feeling better today, but so happy for Ibuprofen.

Other than that I don't take any meds and neither does my husband.

My mother is almost 92 and takes Oxycontin for pain from osteoporosis and a stomach acid reliever. That's all. Not bad for her age. She has no heart trouble, no sign of cancer, and has a very clear mind, hears perfectly and can still see, but her vision is not what she would like.

Glad you are doing well today, Ian. Good energy coming your way from our house.

Insomniac

My ankles hurt all the time like the've been hit with hammers. I don't medicate that.

Mulan, please be careful on those stairs, ok?

Mac

MSM!...try it Insom!!! All natural and it worked for me.

mac, not a doctor but, I like to play one (mud pie class)

Markfromcali

It should be noted that pain and suffering are two different things. Pain in itself isn't bad, it tells you something's going on. I recently went to the dentist and found that I needed a root canal, the dentist was quite surprised and said "It must hurt a lot!" I was like it's just a bit tender, part of it is probably because I don't focus on it, but obviously something was off so I went in.

To go off Dansk's post, consider this aspect of death and impermanence in connection with pain. Do we hang on to the pain, or try to hang on by pushing it away? Impermanence being what it is simply means the pain will die, and in a way it is whether you let it die or let it run it's course. This is not to say it wouldn't resurface, but then it just 'dies' again - it isn't just about the phenomena of the human organism.

So suffering would be a matter of how much struggle is involved with that. We might look at someone who dies peacefully compared with someone who struggles - not necessarily in an effort to stay alive, often times it is just a matter of unfinished business right, and perhaps they are not even anywhere near finishing it even on their deathbed. So I say be done with it. Finish it, conclude it, come to it's 'death', with everything, and always. Then you can rest and be at peace.

Speaking of which, it's bedtime for me..

cyberguy

Thanks for all your respones! I'm still learning!

Lady Lee

Pain
Pain, becoming like a hated companion.
It is becoming a part of me, my existence.
I get relief for a few hours
but it is times like now
in the wee hours of the morning
burning, aching, fire in my feet.

I can't bear for anything to touch them
but there is no ease.
Doctors in confusion,
Maybe this or that.
They haven?t got a clue
Even after all their tests.

Like a constant noise that irritates until familiar
Banging, crashing,
Making rational thought impossible.
I seek distractions
That numb my mind and
evade the constant ache

Sleep is a distant friend
Until exhaustion overwhelms me
But even then my companion
Prods and gnaws at me
Giving no peace
And that?s the easy stuff.

Londo111

Thoughts and prayers for Cyberguy who recently had a heart attack.

You?ve got pain? Where does it hurt?

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