| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| LitaM |
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 06:25:04
Hi,
I am pretty new to the boards and have read Dr. Sarno's books. I believe what he is saying, but I still have pain. Mine is in my erectors and is worst when I awaken in the morning. Remeber, I am the person who can never sleep in. My feet are killing me, plantar fascitis. I exercise daily, I walk for 30 min, do resistance training every other day, elliptical 20 minutes 3x a week. All recomendations from Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen from the book " You the Owners Manual."
This morning I awaken and my back is so tight, when I massage the muscles they are killing me. When I stand my feet are really sore. I am only 39 and I walk around the first hour like an old woman.
So is the pain I am feeling only TMS? Or, do I need new shoes?
I talk to my brain daily and truly believe Dr. Sarno. So why doesn't the pain ease up? I feel like I am a failure. It makes me feel so frustrated inside.
Any suggestions on a simple step by step plan for one to rid themselves of TMS.
I have never tried psychotherapy, not sure if their are any therapists around where I live. Plus my husband only gets so much coverage. Can't someone get rid of TMS without therapy?
Thanks. |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| LitaM |
Posted - 11/26/2006 : 05:59:01
Thanks Corey,
The pressure that I put on myself daily I think is a real problem. I will try writing my feelings down, then shredding the paper.
Thanks |
| Littlebird |
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 20:30:55
Hi Lita,
I'm still fairly new, but I'm having progressive success with some of my symptoms and expect the others to improve with time, so I thought I'd share a couple of things I've discovered since I've been reading on this forum.
The journaling is different than just thinking about things in my mind. Prior to learning about Dr. Sarno I'd read some promising reports about journaling and chronic pain, but I hadn't started doing it. Once I found this board I thought that might be the equivalent of journaling, but it hasn't turned out that way. While I've learned a lot and consider the board a very valuable tool in my progress, I have made the most phyical improvement when I journal. I had to get to a point where I could write about things I didn't really want to accept that I'm feeling, deep anger at people I love, but writing it down does help me. So I encourage you to give the writing a try, but do allow yourself to be totally honest, even if you have to shred the page after you write it.
The other thing that I feel has helped me is finding a substitute for the "inner child" concept, because even though I have come to accept the idea of an inner child, I felt like I just couldn't picture myself having an inner child. What I finally realized is that I do picture an inner "self" who is not a child anymore, but still feels a lot of the needs and wants that get trained out of us as we grow and learn about the world's social expectations. This inner self is very different from the person the rest of the world sees. Feeling like I can acknowledge that inner self without censoring it as some "bad" and "selfish" part of me that needs to be locked away has led to improvement and a sense of emotional freedom. Not that I'm telling people off or anything, though I'm working on being a little more assertive. The big difference is that I'm starting to feel like a whole person and I'm starting to feel more content in general. Two months ago I would have told you I was a whole person and that the "inner child" or "inner self" concept was a little like having an imaginary friend.
I can sympathize about difficult in-laws. One thing you might find helpful to consider is whether you're feeling any repressed anger at your husband, either for not protecting you from the in-laws, or for not standing up to them for you, or because you feel that you have to hold back from showing anger to the in-laws and tolerate them for your husband's sake.
Continue to give yourself time and try to really dig into your feelings, especially the one's that you may be a little embarrassed to acknowledge.
Best wishes--Corey
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| Dave |
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 13:14:06
quote:
Originally posted by LitaM
I do think about all of the things that make me angry.
Keep in mind that conscious anger is very different from repressed rage. The rage you need to explore is the rage felt by the child inside you who resents all the demands of life, such as the pressures you put on yourself to be a perfectionist or goodist. |
| LitaM |
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 10:34:41
Thanks Hilary and Dave,
I do think about all of the things that make me angry. I am a person who never hides their anger, except with the inlaws. I hate my sister in law. A real know it all, you can't have your own opinion, she tries to force hers down your throat. A few years back, she told me to shut up then she told me f*@K O** infront of my children. All because she thought that we had a movie of hers, I was trying to explain myself when she went looney, P.S this was at her kids birthday party. Nice isn't she.
I really let my husband know when I am angry with the inlaws.
I think about everything that I can remember, from a child up and there is lots to be angry about. I'll keep trying, thanks. |
| HilaryN |
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 10:15:10
Lita,
I can sympathise with your frustration and impatience to be pain-free. You are not a failure. You've done well to get this far. You just have to stick with it.
Lots of people, including myself, get better without therapy. It just takes time. Follow Dave's advice and try to feel any emotions you may have ignored or suppressed
Hilary N |
| Dave |
Posted - 11/25/2006 : 09:38:58
quote:
Originally posted by LitaMSo is the pain I am feeling only TMS? Or, do I need new shoes?
I talk to my brain daily and truly believe Dr. Sarno.
This is a bit of a contradiction. It seems part of you still does not embrace the TMS diagnosis.
Expecting too much too soon, trying to track your progress, getting frustrated ... these are enemies of treating TMS. You have to take it one day at a time and have a long-term view.
1. Repudiate the structural explanations for your pain. Commit to the belief that the symptoms are psychogenic.
2. Ignore the symptoms. Whenever you are acutely aware of the pain, shift your thoughts to something that may be bothering you inside. Try to force yourself to feel "forbidden" emotions that you are denying, for example, you hate your husband, or resent your infant child for making demands on your time, or feel like you are not getting the recognition you deserve at work, etc.
3. Resume physical activity. It seems you are already doing well here.
If you don't have success after several months you may need psychotherapy to help unlike the emotional conflicts going on in your unconscious.
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