| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| optimism |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 10:56:39
I am new to this forum and find a lot of great advices here.
I have read all Sarno's books and find myself in them (also watched the video). I know if I think about what's going on in my life, not the pain is the right way to think.
But I am not sure where to start!! Ok, I tell myself "what is going on in my life that cause this pain?" and guess what - nothing happens ;). I can not find the answer. I mean I know I have a lots of things to do (I am at home with the baby), running all day around. Before, I was busy at work, or in school, I mean there is always something (that's the way the life is , I guess). I get the pain even when on vacation. So, my pain is not connected to particular situation (stress) only. I have been in the pain for the last 10 years.
So, How do you get in touch with your emotions? |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| cindy_gail |
Posted - 10/14/2005 : 13:42:35
It is interesting to read this all related to getting in touch with your emotions. I have been getting in touch with my emotions most of my adult life. I'm a counselor, a professor in the counseling field, and have been through many years of doing therapy and being in therapy, and I've always sought out and practiced insight-oriented therapies (as opposed to cognitive behvioral therapies)like Sarno discusses.
Yet here I am, a TMSer for many years. As I've begun to focus on the repressed emotions/rage and not the pain tho, low and behold, up comes tons of stuff I thought I'd worked on long ago. And as it comes up I can literally feel it caught in my throat. Gads! I hope now that I have this orientation to work from that all my years of emotional work will have served me well, at least in being able to access them. The emotional work beats the pain any time as far as I'm concerned. I am excited to read the book that PeterMckay mentioned, as I truly believe in the concept of living in the now and am a huge Eckhart Tolle fan who put out The Power of Now. Again, easy to gleen, living it day in day out, minute in minute out is quite another challenge. I'm just so glad I found this forum I can't even put it into words.  |
| optimism |
Posted - 10/14/2005 : 10:20:46
Thanks everyone. I got the idea how to start! |
| Dave |
Posted - 10/13/2005 : 08:27:24
quote:
Originally posted by optimism
So, How do you get in touch with your emotions?
If there was a clear answer, then none of us would be in pain 
It is not easy. Most TMS-prone people have spent a lifetime developing psychological defenses to avoid feeling emotions. The defenses are so ingrained in us that we are not aware when we are repressing our feelings.
You may find journaling helpful. Start with a list of all the things in your life that may cause emotional conflict. Then expand on each item, writing whatever comes to mind, without analysis, without censorship. Be brutally honest with yourself.
It's not enough to say "I'm at home with the baby." Take it further. The rage inside comes from the part of you that does not even want a child. Yes, those feelings are inside you, even if you deny them. As much as you love your child, part of you wishes you were free from that responsibility. Part of you is angry at the child for demanding so much of your time and energy. It is very difficult for us to admit such feelings because it is incomprehensible that we could harbor anger towards an innocent creature that we love with all our hearts. But there is a child inside you who doesn't want to deal with the responsibility. The child inside you wants to be taken care of, not to have to take care of someone else. |
| n/a |
Posted - 10/13/2005 : 08:23:35
Everyone who has the ability to generate emotions can get TMS. You may be looking for big things when in fact the problem can be an accumulation of little things going on in your life (such as taking care of a baby or staying home) or personality traits (drive to succeed or be perfect at what you do) which may cause inner tension. Next time you get angry, frustrated, sad, impatient and the numerous other emotions you experience on a daily basis, sit with them and reflect upon what you are feeling at a deeper level. Be quiet with it. Allow yourself, in a non-judgemental way, to observe what you are experiencing. These emtions are part of who you are and you will not change your personality nor is it necessary for a full recovery. Just noticing them and acknowleding that these are the source of your physical symtoms is the road to recovery. Keep a daily "emotion journal."
Everytime you feel pain in your body this is a reminder that something is taking place at a deeper emotional level. Always remind yourself that each time pain comes- which may be all the time - that your problem originates on the inside.
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Man has never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.
-- Bernard Williams (1929-) English Philosopher
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| Jim1999 |
Posted - 10/12/2005 : 23:07:08
Optimism,
Welcome to the group!
When I started trying to find my repressed emotions, I focused on what was going on in my life at the time my pain got bad, and shortly before that time. It seemed to make sense that there must have been some things that increased the level of repressed emotions at that time, and this caused the additional pain. This focus helped me get started, and then I went on to examine other times in my life as well.
You mention vacations as a time when you think you are under less stress. Dr. Sarno says that, paradoxically, vacations are often high-stress. I was surprised to learn that this was true for me, although vacations only contributed to a small part of my repressed emotions. Even now, six years after my recovery, I have to think through vacation-related emotions to keep my TMS from coming back when I go on a vacation.
I hope this helps,
Jim |
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