PSYB10H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Periaqueductal Gray, Guided Imagery, Threshold Of Pain
Document Summary
Chronic pain conditions**** (chronic back pain is the main type of pain) Significance of pain: pain often considered of secondary importance to md (they want to understand, pain= symptom of chief concern to patients. Leads them to seek medical attention what the underlying causes of the symptom are: patients fear pain in illness and treatment most. Fearing that they can"t relieve suffering increase anxiety. billion is spent annually in canada on over-the-counter pain medications. Why do we feel pain: pain is adaptive. Tells us to avoid behaviours that may hurt us. Forces us to rest & recover after an injury: can be reflexive and unconscious. Hot stove burner: can be used as a learning mechanism. Pain as an inhibitory mechanism: operant conditioning. Positive= add; negative= take away: reinforcement: consequence increases likelihood of behaviour in the future. Positive reinforcement- application of a desirable stimulus (reward; candy)