When we experience physical pain, we reach out for painkillers. But when it comes to emotional pain, there seems to be no reliable way to find relief. As a result, many turn into anti-depressants, alcohol and other self-destructive options.
When we experience emotional pain, we tend to become entangled in self-defeating thoughts. All we think about is our suffering, our pain.
There is an effective and safe remedy to relieve emotional pain without resorting to pills, or abusing substances. Best of all, this remedy is available to everyone for free. It’s called compassion.
The word compassion comes from the Latin word compati meaning “to suffer together”. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines compassion as “the sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.”
Thus, compassion works by making us forget our problems as we help others deal with theirs. If you are in the middle of emotional turmoil, activate your compassionate side – it works wonders.
Compassion can be likened to a painkiller, except that physical painkillers offer temporary relief whereas compassion has long-term effects. Scientific researches endorse the therapeutic power of compassion.
According to a study published in the journal of Experimental Social Psychology, those who demonstrated high levels of compassion for others were more receptive to social support, enabling them to better handle acute psychological stress and maintain overall well-being.
Although compassion is an inherent aspect of all human beings, in most people, it remains a dormant virtue.
What makes compassion really worth the shot is that not only does it help alleviate our own pain but it also helps lessen another person’s agony.
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