When the pain is enjoyed.....

[DianaR]

For the sake of polite discussion I will use athletics as an example.

I know a fellow who loves to run, but doesn't seem to enjoy it nearly as much when he doesn't feel any of the pain that comes with hitting "the wall".  He acknowledges that pain is usually a sign that something should either be stopped or fixed, in normal life, but for him this form a of pain lifts his spirits and then relaxes him.  I say he's probably and endorphin junky, but I could be wrong.

Since he enjoys this, can it really be judged harmful by others?

[Turion]

in this case i wonder if if is the pain or what the pain signifies that is enjoyable. for a runner feeling pain may relate to pushing the boundaries. it could be the endorphins too. those can be quite addictive for some people.

[marroossia]

I was always told by my husband who enjoyed running through the threshold of pain that after that he will get "high". So I think that it is definitely endorphins