We’ve known for decades about culture-bound syndromes that just seem so weird and only occur in a small subculture. Like men in South Central Asia who get the idea that they have semen loss and their semen loss is making them weak and tired... and we go ‘that’s crazy’. But how do we know that back pain isn’t our culture-bound syndrome?

Today I’m talking with Dr. Howard Schubiner, who’s one of the creators of Pain Reprocessing Therapy (one of the most important and exciting new modalities for addressing chronic pain). We met at a conference in Boulder, and this conversation was a chance for us to explore how he got into this space and his stance on where it’s going.

Dr Schubiner is one of the pioneers of modern pain science. After being a professor at Wayne State University for 18 years, he now directs, advises, and supports many of the key initiatives around understanding pain through this neuroplastic lens.

Timestamps

00:00:00 – Intro

00:02:00 – Meeting Dr. John Sarno

00:06:00 – From MBSR to Mind-Body Medicine

00:13:00 – The Evolution of Somatic Tracking

00:21:00 – Predictive Processing and the Brain’s Need for Certainty

00:35:00 – The Cultural Epidemic of Pain Syndromes

00:38:00 – Long COVID and Neuroplastic Conditions

00:43:00 – Healthcare System Reform Vision

00:47:00 – The Future of Neuroplastic Research

Resources:

* Howard’s book, Unlearn Your Pain, just had a Fourth Edition update.

* Effect of Pain Reprocessing Therapy vs Placebo and Usual Care for Patients With Chronic Back Pain.

* Correction: I mentioned anorexia and The Geography of Madness, but the correct book is Crazy Like Us. Here is a good book review.

* All the Rage (Saved by Sarno) - documentary featuring Dr. Sarno

* ATNS (Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms)

Questions and comments welcome!

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