Psychological pain, sometimes called psychalgia,[1] is any mental, or mind, or non-physical suffering. Emotional pain is a particular kind of psychological pain, more closely related to emotions. In the fields of social psychology and personality psychology, the term social pain is used to denote emotional pain caused by harm or threat to social connection; bereavement, embarrassment, shame and hurt feelings are subtypes of social pain.[2] Another kind of psychological pain that is commonly found is spiritual or soul pain.[3]
Recent research in neuroscience suggests that physical pain and psychological pain may share some underlying neurological mechanisms.[4]
Examples of mental suffering include: grief, sadness, depression (mood), disgust, irritation, anger, rage, hate, contempt, jealousy, envy, craving or yearning, frustration, heartbreak, anguish, anxiety, angst, fear, panic, horror, righteous indignation, shame, guilt, remorse, regret, resentment, repentance, embarrassment, humiliation, boredom, apathy, confusion, disappointment, hopelessness, doubt, emptiness, homesickness, loneliness, rejection, pity, self-pity.