Causes of pain and sorrow
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Present Evil 1. Sorrow is a movement of the appetite as a result of an apprehension
2. Natural movements § Approach -directed to something suitable to nature § Withdrawal -directed to something contrary to nature § Sorrow is a kind of flight or withdrawal § Pleasure is a kind of pursuit or approach |
Desire for unity
1. Love is the first principle of the appetitive movement § The first inclination of the appetite towards the possession of good 2. Hatred is the second principal § The first inclination of the appetite towards the avoidance of evil 3. Concupiscence or desire is the first effect of love which gives rise to the greatest of pleasure 4. Whatever hinders a movement from reaching its end is contrary to the movement of the appetite 5. Desire is a cause of sorrow in so far as we sorrow for the delay of a desired good or for its complete removal Craving for unity can cause sorrow 1. In so much as desire for good is reckoned as a cause of sorrow so must a craving for unity and love 2. The good of each thing consists in a certain unity 3. Everything naturally desires unity |
An irresistible power is a cause for sorrow
1. A present evil is a cause of sorrow
§
What causes a
present evil should be reckoned as causing pain and sorrow
2.
It is
contrary to the inclination of the appetite to be united with a present evil § Whatever is contrary to a thing's inclination does not happen to it save by the action of something stronger 3. If a stronger power goes so far as to transform the contrary inclination into its own inclination there will be no longer repugnance or violence § Without inclination there is no pain or sorrow § Sorrow is caused by the will resisting a stronger power -to yield by consent results not in sorrow but in pleasure |
Goodness and malice of sorrow
Not all sorrow is evil
1. In itself it is evil because man’s appetite is uneasy thus hindering the repose of the appetite in the good
2. A thing is said to be good or evil on the supposition of something else
3. Shame-on account of a shameful deed done
§
A sign of
goodness if a man is in sorrow or pain on the count of a present evil
§ If not in pain and sorrow he feels it not or does not reckon it as something unbecoming, both are manifest evils
§ “It is also a good thing that he sorrows for the good he has lost: for had not some good remained in his nature, he could not be punished by the loss of good.”
Sorrow can be a virtuous
good
Sorrow is a good in as much as it denotes perception and rejection of evil.
1. Proof of the goodness of nature
§ Nature shuns the harmful thing that causes pain
2. Interior sorrow
§ Perception of the evil is sometimes due to a right judgment or reason
§ Rejection of the evil is the act of the will
3. Every virtuous good results from these two things
§ The rectitude of the reason
§ The will
Sorrow can be useful good
1. The effect of avoiding or expelling the saddening evil
§ Sorrow can be of use because it is something to avoid
§ In itself as contrary to good e.g. sin
§ An occasion of evil
2. Sorrow for that which ought to be avoided is always useful since it adds another motive for avoiding it
Bodily pain is not the
greatest evil
1. All sorrow or pain is either for something that is truly evil or something that is apparently evil but good in reality
2. Pain or sorrow for that which is truly evil cannot be the great evil for there is something worse
§ Not to reckon as evil that which is really evil
§ Or not to reject it
Effects of Pain and Sorrow
| Understanding the effects of pain and sorrow disposes one to compassion but also to appreciate the impact upon the mental and emotional faculties. One can begin to understand depression and gain insight into a pastoral approach. | |
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Blindness
1. Hinders the power to learn § Love of learning will increase retention |
Depression 1. Hindered in own movement hinders the will from what it wishes to enjoy 2. If evil is not strong enough to deprive one of the hope of avoiding it, the will retains the movement whereby to repulse that evil 3. If the strength of the evil excludes the hope of evasion 4. “The interior movement of the afflicted soul is absolutely hindered so that it cannot turn aside either this way or that. Sometimes even the external movement of the body is paralyzed so that a man becomes completely stupefied.” |
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Debility 1. Sorrow weakens all activity 2. “Pleasure perfects action . . . sorrow hinders it.” Aris.Ethic, s.4 |
Bodily injury
1. Of all soul's passions, sorrow is the most harmful to the body 2. Sorrow is repugnant to man's life in respect of the species of its movement and not merely in respect of its measure or quantity |
Remedies
| The remedies for pain are obviously valuable for all counseling situations. They lead to a common sense approach that can calm someone and restore equilibrium as well as provide a foundation for confidence in the direction. The remedies include: all pleasure, tears and groans, sympathy of friends, contemplation of the truth, sleep and baths. It is valuable to understand the common sense of these natural remedies so as to better understand human behavior and thus healthy or unhealthy means of assuaging pain. | |
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All pleasure 1. Pleasure is a kind of repose of the appetite in a suitable good 2. Sorrow arises from something unsuited to the appetite § Implies ailing or weariness of the appetite 3. All repose of the body brings relief to any kind of weariness from non-natural causes |
Tears, groans 1. A hurtful thing hurts more if shut in § Let out, soul’s intention is dispersed 2. An action that befits a man according to his actual disposition is always pleasant to him § Tears are befitting one in pain and thus pleasant to him § Every pleasure assuages pain and sorrow |
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Sympathy-compassion of friends 1. Sorrow has a depressing effect § Weight of burden § Seeing others saddened by one’s sorrow seems as if others are bearing the burden with him § They seem to be striving to lessen the weight thus the burden is lighter 2. When a man’ friends console with him he sees that he is loved by them § This is more important than #1 and gives pleasure |
Contemplation of the Truth
1. The greatest of all pleasures rests in the contemplation of the Truth, the more so, the more one is a lover of wisdom § In midst of tribulation men rejoice in the contemplation of divine things
§
“Count all
joy, when you shall fall into diverse temptation.” James 1.2 2. Joy amidst bodily tortures § Tiburtius (Martyr) said while walking on burning coals "Methinks I walk on roses, in the name of Jesus Christ" |
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Sleep and Baths
1. Sorrow is repugnant to the vital movement of the body 2. Whatever restores bodily nature is opposed to sorrow and assuages it. It brings back the normal state and thus causes pleasure |
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Causes of Pleasure
| Since all pleasure assuages pain and pleasure is the most
common motivation for human action moral or licit, it is valuable to have some
understanding of the causes of pleasure.
One can then direct another to those causes that will encourage a
healthy and virtuous way of life. |
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Work |
Movement |
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Hope and memory
1. Pleasure is caused by a suitable good 2. Presence of good in mind 3. Potential of the good 4. Conjunction of apprehension |
Love
1.
2. Action of others 3. Action for others 4. Similarity |
| Sadness 1. Brings to mind that which is loved 2. Absence of which causes sadness 3. Recollection of sadness causes pleasure 4. Absence of the evil is a good 5. Deliverance from what caused sorrow is a joy |
Wonder/Novelty |
Pain causes other passions
Fear, anxiety, anger and depression are all caused by pain. They are passions that ensue depending upon the conditions of the pain. The two factors are whether the pain is in the present or future and whether escape or hope is possible.
If the pain is in potential (i.e., the future) one has either fear or anxiety. Fear is present as long as escape seems possible. Thus, something bad is imagined and the person has some hope of finding a way out. E.g., a boy fears telling his father that he broke the front window. However, he feels if he tells his dad that it was an accident and that he himself would pay for the repair that his dad will not punish him. Thus one who is afraid looks for an escape and feels one is possible.
Anxiety comes when escape from the future pain seems impossible. This disposition intensifies toward panic and thus would be the basis for panic attacks. The person literally panics because there is no escape from the impending doom.
Acting out the fear or anxiety does ease some of the pain.
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| If the pain is present the result is either anger or depression. If the pain is judged to be unjust then the desire for revenge is caused by this memory of injustice actively present in the imagination. The thought about how one might get that revenge makes hope present in the imagination and that assuages the pain. If one does not see the pain as unjust and if there is no hope of it ending then effect of depression can take place. The mind finds no recourse to expel the present evil and thus the movement is oppressive. Acting in a depressed way does ease some of the pain but the vitality of the person is diminished. |
Depression
Repeating what was said about depression on page 59, depression is an effect of pain, which hinders the will from what it wishes to enjoy. It’s intensity is directly related to the proportion of the evil to the hope of avoiding it.
§ “If evil is not strong enough to deprive one of the hope of avoiding it, the will retains the movement whereby to repulse that evil.”
§ If the strength of the evil excludes the hope of evasion, “The interior movement of the afflicted soul is absolutely hindered so that it cannot turn aside either this way or that. Sometimes even the external movement of the body is paralyzed so that a man becomes completely stupefied.”
In other words, depression involves a present evil with no hope of unburdening or an end in sight. This sorrow weighs down the soul with a sense of oppression. As the intensity of the sorrow and hopelessness increases so does the torpor increase.
In other words, depression involves a present evil with no hope of unburdening or an end in sight. This sorrow weighs down the soul with a sense of oppression. As the intensity of the sorrow and hopelessness increases so does the torpor[19] increase.
Depression has a root in two vices, pride and concupiscence.[20]
Father Chad Ripperger considers two vices that may be at the root of depression. His proposed remedies begin a consideration of the role of virtues and pastoral counseling in dealing with depression.
Pride
People who are depressed are unwilling to conform themselves to the truth and insist that they know the truth about themselves or their situation. They are unwilling to submit themselves to the psychologist for direction. Thus as the difficulty continues to prevail the person would be acting against prudence which would compel one to seek counsel from some competent authority.
Concupiscence
One actually derives a pleasure from depression. Someone can derive pleasure from an action that is in congruity with a disposition even if the action concerns an object viewed as evil. The control and direction of passions requires temperance to resist the temptation to assuage the pain through self pity which keeps the object present in the imagination so as to stimulate pleasure so as to turn those thoughts and actions which might displace the object of the sorrow.
Remedies
In all cases, depression, (which is another name for the vice or bad habituation in the Concupiscible appetite for sorrow) leads or is also accompanied by the aforesaid mechanism. Therefore solutions are:
1. Humility to over come the pride and more the directee to submit to the judgment of others;
2. Mortification to overcome the attachment to pleasure,
§ although this must be handled prudently so as not to give the directee another excuse for his sorrow
3. Pursuit of the truth through learning, i.e. the pursuit of knowledge.
§ Inclining the directee to study results in the object of the sorrow to be taken away and good objects (truths) to take it place.
As we continue to consider a pastoral approach of
implementing virtues to cope with depression, perhaps it would be a good idea
to keep the prayer of St.
Lord, make me an
instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
...where there is injury, pardon;
...where there is doubt, faith;
...where there is despair, hope;
...where there is darkness, light;
...where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
...to be consoled as to console;
...to be understood as to understand;
...to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
...it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
...and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
All of the petitions are addressing pain and its effects. Contained are virtues which express love and compassion and contribute to the qualities within the theological virtues. Thus, we can consider for a moment that depression may be offset by the theological virtues. The implications of this endeavor are quite profound in light of the fact that union with God takes place through the theological virtues. We can also keep in mind that nurturing these virtues is the practical objective contained the formation of a pastor.
The obvious objective for the pastoral counselor is to bring hope to one who is depressed. Compassion expresses love for the directee who can see his own sorrow shared and his burden lighter because of the counselor. It is a love that is motivated by the love of God, which constitutes charity. The pastoral counselor may be able to understand the nature of what the person is experiencing in the light of faith and provide an appropriate counsel.
It is valuable to return to the footnote on page 25 referring to the majority of research that has been done that could not verify that modern psychology had an impact on mental illness but could verify that the warmth on the part of the clinician and the clinician’s expectancy that the person would improve did have some positive impact. We understand warmth to be empathy, compassion and love and expectancy to be a quality of faith. Although we cannot quantify faith, hope and charity, it is interesting to note that science can measure the behavioral impact of their operation.
Understanding factors involved
One of the first questions to ask is, “Should this person be depressed?” That is, one would first look for a reason to be sad or hopeless. For example, if one has lost a beloved recently, they should be depressed from that loss in the sense that the beloved is gone and there is no hope of seeing them again until in heaven. Of course, this faith and hope will assuage the pain but the natural state would be of extreme sorrow. Compassion and the willingness to share the sorrow over a period of time as well as the prayerful hope for the good of the beloved and the reunion in heaven ease the pain.[21]
Temporal affairs
Temporal affairs can be a source of great pain. Thus considering the circumstances surrounding work and home life come to the fore. The three major crisis areas are: the marriage and family life, the stability of the home, (i.e. financially stabilizing the home) and work (danger of termination or loss of job etc.) Considering the presence of these crises and the hopefulness of recovery is important.
Moral life
One would also consider the events of one’s life. Thus, if some said that they had acted immorally for a long period of time, or abandoned their faith, committed adultery without the spouse’s knowledge etc., it would be understandable that each of these people would experience depression. This is also to be considered with those Catholics who are distant from the sacraments.
Distance from sacrament of confession
Someone who has not been to confession in a number of years and committed grievous sins there should be several effects including dullness of mind and some problems related to how they dealt with their guilt over those years. A healthy conscience brings pain to mind to bring the movement of contrition and reconciliation. The defensive mechanisms necessary to quiet one’s the conscience can have psychological as well as moral implications. One only need look at the problems experienced by women in the aftermath of abortion to appreciate this dynamic.
State of marriage
The state of the marriage and whether a sacramental marriage is being lived is important. For example, a woman came to my office that was quite a successful businesswoman. However, she was suffering from depression. She did not have any problems with her boyfriend who was living with her and was happy with him, as they were the best of friends. She told me that her husband had divorced her many years prior after a brief marriage. She had always wanted children but her husband would not have sex without contraception and obtained a vasectomy soon after the marriage. She told me how she could not receive the sacraments and we discussed her distance from the Church. We discussed the possibility that she was depressed because of the loss of her faith, the separation from God, the guilt about the divorce and cohabitation and the hopelessness about a resolve that would enable her to go to God and stand before Him in honesty. I sent her to a priest and she began the efforts of reconciling herself with the Church. She began a life of chastity and pursued the question of annulment. Immediately her depression began to lift as the hope that somehow she could be at peace with God and His Church became more and more a reality. Although she could not receive the Eucharist she attended mass each Sunday through the time that an annulment was granted and she was able to marry in the Church. Her husband eventually converted to the faith and the depression never returned.
Considering the moral disposition also includes the consideration of various virtues. Thus industry, order, humility et. al. can all contribute to personal problems that seem hopeless. Thus a pastoral counselor must look to the moral and sacramental life as well as the practical state of affairs.