According to Osho, we cling to pain and misery because they’ve been our lifelong companions; without them we feel unbearably lonely. Suffering is familiar and numbing escapes exist for it, but nothing anaesthetizes the abyss of loneliness. So we prefer known hurt to unknown aloneness, reinforcing addictive patterns that become our ‘family’ and identity. Real freedom begins by courageously facing loneliness rather than medicating misery.
We hang on to hurt because it feels like the only friend we have, and it distracts us from feeling deeply alone.