Edwin Shneidman Among those who are suicidal, pain is the problem. Much of what has been learned about dealing with physical pain applies to psychache . Psychological pain is underassessed and undertreated. More attention is paid to the causes than to the pain itself. Suicidal individuals are left to contend with pain alone.
Severe pain has the same impact both physically and psychologically.
Anxiety, sleeplessness, fatigue, depression, and anger set in. These modify and aggravate the pain . They elicit changes that increase stress which further drives pain. Severe pain is destructive. It generates fear and powerlessness.