The so called 'pain-prone individuals' share either the conviction of not being loved or a feeling of guilt which must be repaired. As a result, they develop a condition of recurrent pain which is psychological in nature. This set of patients constitute a hard problem for doctors as drugs and surgical procedures are incapable of solving such a state of chronic pain. In fact, it seems as if they were happier when undergoing the most aggresive modalities of therapy. They are not, however, masochists but have a debt to be paid, the pain being the charge.
The following are some instances in which the features of this -so peculiar- form of sufferance can be appreciated.
1) Often, a less affective mother can cause her child simulates an imaginary pain in order to draw her attention on him. By means of both the compassion and guilt provoked, pain is an appropriate way to feel onself loved by the other person.
2) A mother is able to control her son's behaviour by means of the latent threat of a possible pain. Every inappropriate son's action (for example, not to pass an exam at school) will be ensued by the sufferance inflicted to her. This apparent blackmail simply reveals that she has a confussion about what is love.
3) The husband, when realizes his wife is moving away from him, begins to complain about awful pains and pretended diseases. In such circumstances, one's pain ties down the hands of whom tries to rid of a annoying relationship, so restoring his decadent sovereignty.
4) When an oppressive father dies, his son develops a painful condition, trying to justify the happiness of finally having obtained the freedom (to what, he also had wished his father died).
5) When a strongly affective relationship is interrupted by the death of one of the spouses, the other belives that has been denuded of all love and his life lacks of sense. Thus, he/she creates in him/herself an anatomical copy of the departed being, and replicates each of his terminal symptoms.
6) There are people with some secret guilt in whom the syndrome of "pain-prone patients" develops. This usually occurs when they are successful in the actual life. By contrast, when they are experiencing difficulties, become relaxed and painfree.