Philosophy of Pain at Dartmouth
November 18-19, 2024

"Chronic Pain, Suffering, and Illness Narratives"

 

Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists or recurs for more than three to six months and that can constitute a disease on its own right in the absence of a corresponding physiopathology (Treede et al., 2015, 2019). Despite its prevalence and considerable impact on quality of life, much about chronic pain remains poorly understood (Buchbinder et al., 2018; Cohen et al., 2021; Dahlhamer et al., 2018; Hay et al., 2017). An important yet often overlooked distinction in this context is that pain and suffering are related, but distinct experiences. More and more evidence suggests that it is pain-related suffering, rather than the pain itself, that may be the primary driver for the distress and disability associated with chronic pain (Jordan et al., 2019; Vlaeyen & Crombez, 2020). This distinction warrants closer attention, especially in cases where the focus shifts from curing pain to managing its effects.

 

In my presentation, I aim to address three central topics. First, I will provide a preliminary characterization of pain-related suffering, focusing on its key attributes. This will help us distinguish between pain and suffering as two interrelated but distinct phenomena. Second, I will identify the conditions under which pain leads to suffering. I argue that suffering is best understood as a subjective experience that is not simply a function of the persistence, intensity, or unpleasantness of pain, but deeply influenced by the meaning chronic pain holds for the individual. Third, I aim to demonstrate that illness narratives—the socio-cultural stories surrounding illness and what it means to be ill—play a critical role in either intensifying or alleviating suffering.​​​​​

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