The Seesaw Between Pain and Pleasure

“Pleasure and pain are the two sides of the same coin, always tipping the balance within us.”

Have you ever noticed how after an intense moment of pleasure, there’s often a strange emptiness that follows? Or how after enduring pain, there’s an odd sense of calm that creeps in, like your mind is working to balance the scales?

It turns out, pain and pleasure aren’t opposites. They sit in the same spot in our minds, like two kids on a seesaw. When one swings up, the other gets pushed down. That exhilarating high you feel? It’s immediately followed by a low. Not because something went wrong, but because your mind is wired to bring you back to balance.

Why We Swing

The mind doesn’t want extremes — not too much pleasure, not too much pain. What it craves is stability, a flat, measured state where everything feels calm. So when you’re soaring on a high, your brain is already starting to prepare for the dip. And after moments of pain, the mind pulls you up gently, trying to bring you back to center.

We often chase pleasure, trying to avoid pain at all costs. But the truth is, they’re just two sides of the same coin. Neither one is permanent. The mind’s job is to ensure that you don’t linger too long in either space. It’s always bringing you back to equilibrium.

Finding Peace in the In-Between

The next time you feel that hollow feeling after a moment of joy, or the slight ease that comes after pain, remind yourself that it’s just your mind swinging you back to balance. Neither pain nor pleasure is meant to last forever. What lasts is the space in between — the calm, the stability, the peace.

Maybe, that’s where we should be focusing our attention. Instead of craving the highs or dreading the lows, we could learn to appreciate the balance. That quiet place where everything feels measured, grounded, and steady.

Because at the end of the day, that’s what your mind is truly seeking: stability.

@varunduggi