| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| DianeP |
Posted - 03/04/2006 : 06:08:29
I have read the book (MBP), been diagnosed by Sarno himself, attended his lecture and one group meeting. And I'm feeling discouraged since I can't say I feel much better. The pains do bounce around a little but are mainly in my hips and affect my ability to walk. So it is discouraging, to say the least! I'm still struggling with accepting the diagnosis (which another dr, said was a RSI due to sitting at the computer too much--which I have to do since I am a writer!). My question is: do any of you get this way to? And how do you move past the impasse and feel progress? Sometimes it is very difficult NOT to think about the pain. Any ideas and encouragement would be appreciated!!
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| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Allan |
Posted - 03/06/2006 : 18:52:24
Before the pain goes away, the mind has to be convinced:
1) that the pain, although very real is harmless;
2)that it is emotionally induced from stress, anger or anxiety; and
3)that it is not from a physical condition.
One has to do the work. Read Chapter 4 of HBP every day. There is no short cut.
It will go away. You can be pain free. There are many "graduates" on the forum who are pain free. You can join them.
After it is all over, one wonders "What happened?" How did I suffer with all that pain? It all seemed so real. It was real.
Allan. |
| Dave |
Posted - 03/06/2006 : 08:14:51
quote:
Originally posted by DianeP
Intellectually I believe the diagnosis.
Our intelligence can be an escape from feeling.
quote:
So I'm still struggling to fully internalize what's going on.
Seems like you're thinking too much.
quote:
I've been doing all Sarno suggests and I guess I feel like a student half-way through the semester: a bit bogged down with no end in sight!
Your brain will sieze any opportunity you give it to keep TMS symptoms in control. If you truly feel there is no end in sight, then you are just going through the motions and not really accepting TMS.
This isn't like a course where you can cruise by, do the minimum of work, not focus, and still get a "A". Going through the motions is not enough. You need to truly accept that the symptoms are psychogenic and have faith in the process of recovery, no matter how long it takes.
quote:
Also in reading his book recovery seems to come faster than my expience, which is frustrating and difficult given that I'm the complete Sarno personality type!
That's one complaint I have about Dr. Sarno's books. He would have you believe that most people get better in a few weeks. I don't believe it. If it is true then I bet it applies 50.1% of his patients. The other 49.9% have to put in a lot of work and time.
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| HilaryN |
Posted - 03/05/2006 : 06:20:02
Hi Diane,
Yes, it’s frustrating when there appears to be no improvement immediately. I also thought from reading the book that there should be immediate improvement, but it took a couple of months before I saw any improvement. My RSI has gone completely now.
Hang in there! Have a read through this forum, too, because there is lots of useful information.
Hilary N |
| n/a |
Posted - 03/04/2006 : 19:36:57
There is a line in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" where Barbossa says to Elizabeth Swann: "You better start believing in Ghost stories, because you're in one."
The point is you can believe it or not, but that will not change the fact that it is happening regardless... |
| DianeP |
Posted - 03/04/2006 : 11:12:44
Intellectually I believe the diagnosis. Emotionally it is another thing, still. I know "the" brain
" can" do this---but can't believe fully that "my" brain "could" do this to me! So I'm still struggling to fully internalize what's going on. I've been doing all Sarno suggests and I guess I feel like a student half-way through the semester: a bit bogged down with no end in sight! Also in reading his book recovery seems to come faster than my expience, which is frustrating and difficult given that I'm the complete Sarno personality type! I find my mind constantly drifting back to the symptoms and have difficulty concentrating on the psychological. |
| Dave |
Posted - 03/04/2006 : 10:44:15
Are you doing the treatment that Dr. Sarno suggested?
Recovery is half acceptance (which it seems you're still not quite there) and half work.
Many people expect to feel better just after reading the book. Maybe this happens for some, but for the majority, it takes hard work, and time.
Strive to not allow the symptoms to control your life. Then after that, the symptoms will start to disappear, slowly but surely. |
| joemccarthy |
Posted - 03/04/2006 : 06:48:27
Hi Diane. Do you believe in Sarno's diagnosis? Are you still skeptical? Nagging doubts as to my responsibility for my own pain was a problem for me. Having worked for years in medicine it just didn't compute for me that my own brain was causing this real and debilitating problem to distract me from other sources of psychological problems. I kept reading more and more information and finally after a short time I came to believe completely and sort of LET GO of my own preconceptions. I stopped caring about the what and why of previous psychological traumas. I had plenty and it wanted to just let go of those too. I prayed a lot too. Don't be afraid. Joe
joemccarthy |
