Think of pain as being your “harm alarm,” a signal designed to get your attention, to motivate you to escape whatever is causing it. After all, pain—potential harm—could mean injury or even death. In this way, pain serves a useful purpose because its function is to keep you safe and alive. This all works quite well if you simply cut your finger while dicing vegetables for dinner.
Once pain becomes chronic, pain sounds its alarm regularly, perhaps even constantly.
