In my column in Pain Medicine News this month, I talked about a tragic dual suicide attempt of a married couple I knew, both of whom suffered from chronic pain. From one standpoint, a story like this is as shocking as it is incomprehensible. From another perspective, it’s becoming another sad milepost in society–not unlike the rash of gun rampages of the last few years.

The blithe acceptance of social dysfunction – whether suicide stemming from chronic pain or gun violence – is enormously disturbing to me. When social problems seem too big to solve, human beings tend to be resigned that it is part of life in our culture.