We often think dopamine is the “feel-good” chemical — but there are other sides to Dopamine that plays a powerful role in male pelvic pain.

In this episode of my Friday Takeaway series, we look beyond the pelvic floor again… this time diving even deeper into dopamine and its role in this complex condition.

I’m Karl Monahan, founder of Pelvic Pain Matters, clinical director of The Pelvic Pain Clinic… and someone who has lived through chronic pelvic pain myself.

I get how consuming and frightening these patterns can become. Do you recognise these patterns? How does anticipation or scanning show up in your day?

Share in the comments — your insight might help someone else. ✨ J

OIN THE PELVIC PAIN MATTERS CIRCLE — OUR PRIVATE ONLINE COMMUNITY

If you’re ready for support, structure, guidance, and community — this is where your next step begins. Click here for more information -

https://pelvic-pain-matters-community...

If you’re tired of going through pelvic pain alone, endlessly researching, or trying to piece everything together yourself, the Circle is where your recovery gets supported properly. This is a private, off-social-media community for men who want:

✔ Real guidance (not random forum advice)

✔ A place to ask questions without embarrassment

✔ Consistent support during flare-ups and setbacks

✔ A structured way to learn, grow, and actually move forward

✔ Connection with men who get it — because they’re living it too Inside the Circle, you’ll get: 🔹 Monthly success stories

🔹 Movement + mobility videos

🔹 Breathwork sessions

🔹 Pain understanding & recovery education

🔹 Tools to help you regulate your system, reduce uncertainty, and find steadier recovery

It’s the space I wish I had when I was in the darkest parts of pelvic pain. If you’re ready for support, structure, guidance, and community — this is where your next step begins.

Click here for more information - https://pelvic-pain-matters-community...

#PelvicPainMatters #MalePelvicPain #CPPS #PelvicPainRecovery #DopamineDetox #PainScience #MindBodyConnection #ChronicPainSupport #PelvicHealthForMen #PelvicFloorDysfunction #MenWithPelvicPain #PelvicPainHelp

We often think dopamine is the “feel-good” chemical — but there’s a darker side that plays a powerful role in male pelvic pain.

In this episode of my Friday Takeaway series, we look beyond the pelvic floor again… this time diving into how anticipation, fear, scanning, and craving for relief can reinforce pain cycles and keep your system stuck in protection mode.

I’m Karl Monahan, founder of Pelvic Pain Matters, clinical director of The Pelvic Pain Clinic… and someone who has lived through chronic pelvic pain myself. I get how consuming and frightening these patterns can become.

🔍 In this episode, we explore:

✔ Why dopamine drives anticipation and pain prediction

✔ “Scanning” behaviours: checking symptoms on waking

✔ Fear before sitting, sex, or activity — and how that fuels pain

✔ Why hope can become stressful when it hangs on outcomes

✔ Understanding pain as a processing problem, not “in your head”

✔ Practical strategies to dial down urgency and create space to recover

✔ How to replace fear-driven habits with safety-driven curiosity When we begin to understand the brain–body cycle, everything starts to make more sense — and recovery becomes more possible.

💬 Chat to Me Do you recognise these patterns?

How does anticipation or scanning show up in your day?

Share in the comments — your insight might help someone else.

✨ JOIN THE PELVIC PAIN MATTERS CIRCLE — OUR PRIVATE ONLINE COMMUNITY If you’re ready for support, structure, guidance, and community — this is where your next step begins.

Click here for more information - https://pelvic-pain-matters-community...

If you’re tired of going through pelvic pain alone, endlessly researching, or trying to piece everything together yourself, the Circle is where your recovery gets supported properly.

This is a private, off-social-media community for men who want:

✔ Real guidance (not random forum advice)

✔ A place to ask questions without embarrassment

✔ Consistent support during flare-ups and setbacks

✔ A structured way to learn, grow, and actually move forward

✔ Connection with men who get it — because they’re living it too

Inside the Circle, you’ll get: 🔹 Monthly success stories 🔹 Movement + mobility videos 🔹 Breathwork sessions 🔹 Pain understanding & recovery education 🔹 Tools to help you regulate your system, reduce uncertainty, and find steadier recovery

It’s the space I wish I had when I was in the darkest parts of pelvic pain. If you’re ready for support, structure, guidance, and community — this is where your next step begins.

Click here for more information - https://pelvic-pain-matters-community...

#PelvicPainMatters #MalePelvicPain #CPPS #PelvicPainRecovery #DopamineDetox #PainScience #MindBodyConnection #ChronicPainSupport #PelvicHealthForMen #PelvicFloorDysfunction #MenWithPelvicPain #PelvicPainHelp

In this bonus podcast Karl Monahan continues to take a look at factors beyond the pelvic floor in this complex condition. Continuing his series of looking at the brain as an integrated system Karl explores dopamine and its role in pleasure, and pain! he looks at unhelpful behaviours and our relationship with them in the onset to symptoms and their continuation.

Pt 1 of 2

These hints and tips are to help steer your recovery in pelvic pain. They are insights to help you understand what your re experiencing and why.

Here is the link to the FREE catastrophisation guide. Scroll down the page - https://www.pelvicpainmatters.com/fre...

This exciting new podcast is dedicated solely to male pelvic pain conditions - Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome and Chronic Prostatitis

Pelvic Pain Matters website - https://www.pelvicpainmatters.com/

The Pelvic Pain Clinic website - https://www.thepelvicpainclinic.co.uk/

Email Pelvic Pain Matters - pelvicpainmatters@gmail.com

Email clinic - info@thepelvicpainclinic.co.uk

#prostatitis #chronicpelvicpainsyndrome #chronicprostatitis #prostate #menshealth #malepelvicpain #recovery #support #urology #urologist #menshealthphysiotherapy #pelvichealth