[nforest]

I think that, even if you ignore or don't notice pain, it still will have, in the long run, some effect on your psyche. The same way prolonged background noise will turn you insane even if you're not hearing it. I think in a lot of cases, chronic conditions are co-morbid with depression not because people actively weep over being in pain, but because a constant pain signal ends up having an effect on how the brain is wired. In my case, even though I ignore/don't notice pain most of the time, it definitely increased my general sensibility to regular pain and discomfort, physical or psychological. Ignoring your own body also leads to derealization, also in my case. But if I sit down and practice mindfulness, it makes it easier to deal with. Something I think about often is that picture of the Tibetan monk setting himself on fire. He's not ignoring the pain, he's very much aware of it, but he's detached from it.

[DantesKite]

I think about that photo often too.