Why does the pain come on when I am happy and distracted

Sometimes I obsess so much over the discomfort that it is no surprise that I am heightening the sensations and reinforcing the pain pathways.

But ...

Often I will be sat doing some pleasant work on my laptop, sat in my favorite coffee shop, and life is good ... and then for no reason at all the darned discomfort comes on.

Why is that?

Why, when I am focusing on positive things, would the discomfort come on?

 

I wonder the same thing!

 

just throwing some things out there, but I surely would like other people's views on this...

- maybe... if you really look closely, you are trying to make yourself think that everything is positive. I thought that about playing table tennis, but in retrospect I was putting enormous pressure on myself to get better and win my matches. It tended to raise anxiety about not achieving my goals.
- maybe... you are so relaxed that it becomes a threat, because when the fear is temporarily gone, your pool of emotions is unguarded. The slightest input, a thought, a sound, a smell might slam you into pain, like a guard dog that suddenly wakes up and starts to bite and bark before it is able to process what is really going on. A dog is at its most dangerous when you suddenly wake him up.
- maybe... with the feeling of happiness also the fear of having to leave that state of comfort rises unconsciously.

eager to see some more replies...

 

I think back to when I used to deal with panic attacks. Sometimes they would kick in when I was otherwise enjoying myself. I have learned that the subconscious mind can't differentiate between your life activities, if that makes sense. So the fight or flight response sometimes kicks in when you don't "need" it. This, of course, only adds to the panic, due to the uncertainty of when the next attack will happen.

 

I have found that even though I am 'focused' on positive things, tiny whispers of fear-thoughts can march through so quickly they are barely noticed. For example: I'm driving along the winding country road beside the River, loving the vast beauty, humming softly, and "did I turn off all the appliances will my house burn down while I'm gone, did I remember, did I do ... " and back to my joy-thoughts, but my body has already released the chemical poison. Sometimes the thoughts are so fleeting, they are barely there. But every thought, no matter how minuscule, is registered.

When these things frustrate me, I remind myself that this is all just a practice. Think of it like walking down the hall and the floor fan catches your little toe (I swear objects move into my path!). The toe howls, but it will subside, and for a few days you'll be more aware of that floor fan and it's wicked ways of scooting in front of your foot when you aren't paying attention.

And most important ... try not to think how often you hurt. Think, instead, of how often you are feeling better!

... always with Love and Gratitude ^_^