Posted by Q (198.64.206.92) on January 17, 2000 at 19:47:51:
In Reply to: K, Q, let's discuss posted by Todd on January 17, 2000 at 19:02:37:
As I see it, the euphoria only has to be the goal of the CH process. The CH process does not have to achieve the goal every time. Other factors may intervene in the goal-achievement, but that does not prevent the CH-process from attempting to score. Witness the increased intensity in certain CH-attacks which follow aborted attacks.
You may not ever be aware of the euphoria. The only requirement is that some part of the brain seeks it. The CH process is not for your benefit. If it were you would be masochistic. CH is not a masochistic disorder. The only requirement is that some part of the brain be able to start the pain process in the hopes of getting its goal, which I refer to as euphoria.
I do not enjoy the CH-process. I have experienced the feeling of euphoria which accompanies the sometimes sudden, premature, release from an attack. It's like the mind and body are fully braced in the attack, and *poof* the attack ends before it was supposed to. At that point, and it only lasts a fraction of a second, there is a relief so great that it feels like euphoria. I'm usually so beaten and exhaused from the battle that I don't even notice the euphoria. Maybe sometimes I feel a twinge of guilt for feeling euphoric when I feel so bad, and suppress the euphoria as part of the pain suppression fight.
So, suppose that a portion of the brain is addicted to the euphoria that it can sometimes get as part of the pain-process. That portion of the brain may not care about or may not even know about the down-side of the pain process. It only knows that *sometimes* it gets to the euphoria when the pain-process runs. Maybe it gets dosed with euphoria every time.
I guess the same idea about pain intensity and scales applies to euphoric experience as well. Euphoria is subjective. What a small group of brain cells finds euphoric may surprise you.
The old joke about the idiot with the hammer may not be so far-fetched after all.