Hurt So Good: The Science and Culture of Pain on Purpose

“Hurts so good
Come on baby, make it hurt so good
Sometimes love don’t feel like it should
You make it hurt so good” -John Mellencamp

Well, that did not hurt one bit! I enjoyed it!

Pain on purpose, why do some engage in it, while others will avoid pain at any cost? Is it the thrill, the danger, the endorphins released, the high one feels, the thrill of pushing yourself, or feeling good after feeling bad?

Yes, this book does touch on Masochism, but it also looks at ballet dancers who suffer for their art, for endurance athletes/ultra-marathoners who push their bodies to the brink, those who enter Carolina Reaper eating contests, those who take polar plunges, and those who engage in religious flagellants to name a few. Consensual pain and activities that involve pain have been around since the beginning of time.

Plus, there are those who enjoy watching people feel pain, “Hot Ones” comes to mind. If you have seen it, you have seen celebrities eating hot wings and struggling to answer questions as well. This inspired our household to hold our own, hot sauce eating contest. There are also those who enjoy watching people get hooks in their backs and be suspended from the ceiling.

I found this book to be a fast, interesting, and absorbing read. She provides examples, neuroscience, and history on various pain on purpose activities. The Author spoke to scientists, psychologists, and those who seek pain for pleasure plus shared a few personal experiences as well.

Hard to put down, interesting and informative.

Thank you to Perseus Books, Public Affairs and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

**I always have a soundtrack or a particular song going through my head while I read books, for some reason John Mellencamp was on my playlist for this book.