What Happens In Your Brain When You Suffer?

As the saying goes, “the roots of a tree grow deeper during a storm”. This means that sometimes we must first suffer in order to grow as individuals, learning from our mistakes and gaining more wisdom through failures.  We will now talk a little more about the effects of emotions and what actually happens in the brain when we suffer.

1. Suffering – the designer of the brain

You must have already gained some experience on the subject. During life, and therefore also under suffering, there will be fundamental changes in your brain that will inevitably affect your personality. Think of children, for example. Some children experience violence at a very young age. There is nothing more destructive than such painful childhood events. Indeed, doctors and psychiatrists have found this type of suffering to be very similar to the suffering that soldiers experience in their battles.

Constant fear, alertness, and sadness can lead to brain disorders and the release of some neurotransmitters. Such emotions stimulate the brain, and especially a few specific areas such as the almond nucleus and some parts of the cortex that are associated with feelings of pain and fear. This stimulation can have long-term effects on personality: mistrust and anger, as well as a tendency to depression and even acts of violence.

Of course, these reactions are not the same for everyone, but it is very likely that the brain will still react in the same way. Think, for example, of a marriage in which the other party has been mistreated. Eventually, constant suffering reaches the center of the brain and the person sinks into a feeling of helplessness that he or she deals with through depression, anger, and frustration… This is important to keep in mind.

2. Suffering is a masterful means of teaching

Life is not meant to be an easy path where happiness is always guaranteed, or a straight path without any stones. Not at all. We can learn from many enjoyable feelings, but suffering is undoubtedly a masterful teacher. It may be the best of them, but also the most ruthless.

It is said that he who has not suffered has not really lived. Maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s still worth remembering. We all learn from our mistakes and losses. He who refuses to learn from his mistakes does not understand what life is. For it is an ongoing learning process. If you don’t accept your losses, it’s impossible for you to leave things behind, move on, and get stronger through nasty things.

Suffering is not pleasant, but we know it should not take over the rest of your life, or be an excuse to close all your doors. Your inner self, strength, and willpower are the engines that push you to get over suffering. Do not forget it.

Don’t let your suffering accumulate inside you without learning to control it. If you try to live with all the pain, it will cause problems for your brain: high cortisol levels, stress, learning difficulties, memory loss… Gradually you will become weaker as your mental and physical balance deteriorates.

If you are able to liberate yourself, do it! If someone hurts you, fight back. If the walls seem to fall on you, find a space where you can breathe or escape. Let your eyes fill with tears, cry whenever you need to. Find your inner voice and the oppressed walls that limit you because you don’t deserve them. No one deserves suffering, and at least no end in it.

Always try to find a solution to your problems if there is one for whom you can do something yourself. Every effort will be worth it, and you deserve it.