Yes, fascinating to explore this, isn't it?
On the bright side, we can produce dopamine from within ourselves with healthy non-addictive practices, such as cold plunging and breathwork.
When practicing the Wim Hof method you're obviously not addicted to pain ๐ But you learn how to manage it and even how to turn it into energy (cori cycle).
It was fascinating. The examples in relation to pain addictions were, in some cases, eye watering (think electrical currents!). The Wim Hof method itself is not generally an addiction to pain for most people. However there are some people that take a good thing too far. It explored some of the whys of this and was really interesting.
Well worth the read.
Good, thanks for the recommendation ๐
Yeah, it's astonishing to realize that we are so often subconsciously addicted to suffering. I also went into this deeply with Vipassana meditation.
It's particularly revealing in relationship patterns, that many people due to conditioning require an element of pain in relationships, for example rejection or some strong needy emotion, without which they believe it can't be love.
Culturally we donโt seem to be very good at understanding this, and that we are often the product of our own parentโs upbringing.
I agree that meditation helps, if only to become more aware of our own conditioning. ๐
