--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I described a program that is in wide use…" description: "\"“I described a program that is in wide use across the country to treat chronic pain. It bears repeating here that treating pain is not medically sound...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-e-sarno-31157_chronic-pain_i-described-a-program-that-is-in-wide-us_1398487.jpg" --- # I described a program that is in wide use across the… ![“I described a program that is in wide use across the country to treat chronic pain. It bears repeating here that treating pain is not medically sound. Pain is a symptom, like fever. It has been elevated to the status of a separate disorder on the hypothesis that certain psychological factors cause…” quote by John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-e-sarno-31157_chronic-pain_i-described-a-program-that-is-in-wide-us_1398487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-e-sarno-31157_chronic-pain_i-described-a-program-that-is-in-wide-us_1398487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-e-sarno-31157_chronic-pain_i-described-a-program-that-is-in-wide-us_1398487.jpg) > ““I described a program that is in wide use across the country to treat chronic pain. It bears repeating here that treating pain is not medically sound. Pain is a symptom, like fever. It has been elevated to the status of a separate disorder on the hypothesis that certain psychological factors cause the patient to exaggerate the pain. As stated before, this theory requires that one acknowledge the continuing presence of a structural reason for the pain—which is then exaggerated. In”” [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that chronic pain is primarily a psychological symptom, not a distinct medical disorder, and that treating it requires addressing underlying mental factors. **In simple terms:** Pain is a symptom, not a separate disease. Key Takeaway Address mental roots of pain. Themes health psychology pain mindbody treatment Mood concerned analytical Type clinical educational When to use this quote - chronic pain clinics - patient counseling - stress management - physical therapy Key Concepts psychosomatic medicine behavioral health diagnosis Questions to Reflect On - How might you explore mental contributors to pain? - What non‑medical strategies could help? A Different Perspective Ignoring structural causes can worsen outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chronic pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chronic-pain/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) ## Related quotes > [“Maybe that's what writers do- Maybe they exaggerate pain just so that you feel okay about what you're feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/maybe-that-s-what-writers-do-maybe-they-exaggerate-pain-just-so-that/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) > [We can work on sharpening our prescribing practices, working with clinicians to ensure we're treating pain safely and effectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/we-can-work-on-sharpening-our-prescribing-practices-working-with/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [“The pain is due to TMS, not to a structural abnormality. • The direct reason for the pain is mild oxygen deprivation. • TMS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/the-pain-is-due-to-tms-not-to-a-structural-abnormality-the-direct/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [The tears I shed for your absence isn't the reason for my pain but the fact that you are not coming back is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/the-tears-i-shed-for-your-absence-isn-t-the-reason-for-my-pain-but/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) > [Funny how every time you push me away you turn around and you beg me to stay. Cut down by all the things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/im-nothing/funny-how-every-time-you-push-me-away-you-turn-around-and-you-beg-me-2/) Im Nothing > [The brain of man, like that of all animals is double, being parted down its centre by a thin membrane. For this reason pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/the-brain-of-man-like-that-of-all-animals-is-double-being-parted-down/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [So often we look at a calendar of days as merely a symbol of the passage of time. We forget why we are on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-andrews/so-often-we-look-at-a-calendar-of-days-as-merely-a-symbol-of-the/) [Lynn Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-andrews/) > [As much as I do love real-life stories they can often make you hurt in a way I'd rather not hurt. . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/as-much-as-i-do-love-real-life-stories-they-can-often-make-you-hurt/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [Trust those people who know the reason behind these: Pain behind your smile love behind your anger & reason behind your silence.�](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anas/trust-those-people-who-know-the-reason-behind-these-pain-behind-your/) [Anas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anas/) > [If there's one thing that we're very good at as humans, it's remembering the bad stuff. For some reason, it's always the pain that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/if-there-s-one-thing-that-we-re-very-good-at-as-humans-it-s/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [“Don't give up the fight to stay alive and even if you have to, find the reason in another's pain if they lose you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/311/don-t-give-up-the-fight-to-stay-alive-and-even-if-you-have-to-find/) 311 > [“But that was merely an intellectual decision, taken because he knew that he ought to take it. He did not feel it. In this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/but-that-was-merely-an-intellectual-decision-taken-because-he-knew/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Why can't you just leave me alone - you're the reason I'm in so much pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-can-t-you-just-leave-me-alone-you-re-the-reason-i-m-in-so-much/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I understand that there are some problems, and I'm not too blind to know, all the pain you kept inside you, even though you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akon/i-understand-that-there-are-some-problems-and-i-m-not-too-blind-to/) [Akon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akon/) > [“Should I Today I am in search of a light, that can show me a way bright, Today I am trying to find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ratish-edwards/should-i-today-i-am-in-search-of-a-light-that-can-show-me-a-way/) [Ratish Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ratish-edwards/) ## More by John E. Sarno > [It is perfectly acceptable to have a physical problem in our culture, but people tend to shy away from anything that has to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/it-is-perfectly-acceptable-to-have-a-physical-problem-in-our-culture/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [We must learn to recognize nature's truths even though we don't understand them, for some of those truths may still be beyond the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/we-must-learn-to-recognize-nature-s-truths-even-though-we-don-t/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [“The decision maker in the brain has decided that the overt expression of unbridled rage would ruin the person’s life, and to prevent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/the-decision-maker-in-the-brain-has-decided-that-the-overt-expression/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [There's nothing like a little physical pain to keep your mind off your emotional problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/there-s-nothing-like-a-little-physical-pain-to-keep-your-mind-off/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [A knowledgeable physical therapist can slowly build up patients' confidence by reassuring them that there is no structural problem and reminding them of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/a-knowledgeable-physical-therapist-can-slowly-build-up-patients/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [“he decides that bringing up children is the woman’s job, his children are in trouble. Either”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/he-decides-that-bringing-up-children-is-the-woman-s-job-his-children/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [“To understand the phenomenon of avoidance in TMS one must constantly bear in mind how radically the unconscious mind differs from its conscious counterpart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/to-understand-the-phenomenon-of-avoidance-in-tms-one-must-constantly/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [Most doctors are uncomfortable with medical conditions that have a psychological basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/most-doctors-are-uncomfortable-with-medical-conditions-that-have-a/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [... it is highly unlikely that a structural derangement could produce pain equal in severity to acute muscle spasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/it-is-highly-unlikely-that-a-structural-derangement-could-produce/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [“Acknowledging the important role of the emotions in health and illness, medicine must reexamine its concepts of disease causation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/acknowledging-the-important-role-of-the-emotions-in-health-and/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [“What one must then do is develop the habit of “thinking psychological” instead of physical. In other words, I suggest to patients that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/what-one-must-then-do-is-develop-the-habit-of-thinking-psychological/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [“The pain is due to TMS, not to a structural abnormality. • The direct reason for the pain is mild oxygen deprivation. • TMS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/the-pain-is-due-to-tms-not-to-a-structural-abnormality-the-direct/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [... our diagnosis and treatment of of tension myositis syndrome represent yet another instance of what is possible when the power of the mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/our-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-of-tension-myositis-syndrome-represent/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [It is my impression that 'pain-killing' drugs improve the patient's mood rather than take away the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/it-is-my-impression-that-pain-killing-drugs-improve-the-patient-s/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) > [... surgery is a powerful placebo, perhaps the ultimate placebo. The effectiveness of a placebo is directly proportional to the impression it makes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-sarno/surgery-is-a-powerful-placebo-perhaps-the-ultimate-placebo-the/) [John E. Sarno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) [Explore all 16 John E. Sarno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-sarno/) ## More Chronic pain quotes > [“Every EDS patient knows that one of the hardest parts of our day is the moment we open our eyes and waken into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/every-eds-patient-knows-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-our-day-is/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“There’s such a thing as chronic pain, but there’s no such thing as chronic pleasure. ... For an existing person, the presence of bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-benatar/there-s-such-a-thing-as-chronic-pain-but-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [David Benatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-benatar/) > [“Mental illness People assume you aren’t sick unless they see the sickness on your skin like scars forming a map of all the ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emm-roy/mental-illness-people-assume-you-aren-t-sick-unless-they-see-the/) Emm Roy > [“Sometimes, this disapproval of how you are managing your pain crosses over to disbelief that you are in as much pain as you say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-j-mcalister/sometimes-this-disapproval-of-how-you-are-managing-your-pain-crosses/) Murray J. McAlister > [The lesion is in the area of my brain that is responsible for motor function, so I have continual chronic pain in my left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-duffy/the-lesion-is-in-the-area-of-my-brain-that-is-responsible-for-motor/) [Karen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-duffy/) > [“In the debate over opioid addiction, there’s one group we aren’t hearing from: chronic pain patients, many of whom need to use the drugs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-smith-2/in-the-debate-over-opioid-addiction-there-s-one-group-we-aren-t/) S. E. Smith > [I literally couldn't walk down the street; I slept for 16 hours a day, was in chronic pain, had blackouts, never-ending heart palpitations, unbearable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-woodward/i-literally-couldn-t-walk-down-the-street-i-slept-for-16-hours-a-day/) [Ella Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-woodward/) > [“Government agencies are trying to get doctors to cut back on prescribing opioids. I understand that they need to do something about the epidemic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moore/government-agencies-are-trying-to-get-doctors-to-cut-back-on/) [Alison Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moore/) > [I've always loved animals. I've never lived without them. As long as I can remember, I was bringing home strays. When I was five,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/i-ve-always-loved-animals-i-ve-never-lived-without-them-as-long-as-i/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [I shake all the time. It's exhausting and causes chronic pain in my joints and muscles. It is also the only life I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maysoon-zayid/i-shake-all-the-time-it-s-exhausting-and-causes-chronic-pain-in-my/) [Maysoon Zayid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maysoon-zayid/) > [I think anyone who suffers from chronic pain can agree with this - you feel this great significance. What I wanted to capture was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-anselmo/i-think-anyone-who-suffers-from-chronic-pain-can-agree-with-this-you/) [Phil Anselmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-anselmo/) > [“Not every day is awful. Not every day is good. Despite the way the hours pass, I’m living like I should. Not every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/not-every-day-is-awful-not-every-day-is-good-despite-the-way-the/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“We already have intriguing evidence that some types of chronic pain work by prediction. Animals who have stress or injury early in life become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-feldman-barrett/we-already-have-intriguing-evidence-that-some-types-of-chronic-pain/) [Lisa Feldman Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-feldman-barrett/) > [“I had learned quickly that life doesn't always go the way I want it to, and that's okay. I still plod on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-todd-hammer/i-had-learned-quickly-that-life-doesn-t-always-go-the-way-i-want-it/) [Sarah Todd Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-todd-hammer/) > [The only way to truly understand someones chronic pain...is to experience that pain yourself, which you probably never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan/the-only-way-to-truly-understand-someones-chronic-pain-is-to/) Azgraybebly Joslan [Browse all 120 Chronic pain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chronic-pain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I described a program that is in wide use across the country to treat chronic pain. It bears repeating here that treating pain is not medically sound. Pain is a symptom, like fever. It has been elevated to the status of a separate disorder on the hypothesis that certain psychological factors cause the patient to exaggerate the pain. 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