| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| painintheneck |
Posted - 11/28/2007 : 13:55:35
Now this is the thing I have never been really clear on. I have anxiety AND pain. Generally I have emotional issues which leads to the anxiety and that leads to the pain. It's sort of like TMS with a middle man to confuse it all up a little more.
I would think the symptoms of the anxiety (dizziness, panic, what if thoughts, heart beat changes and breathing changes) would be enough of a distraction if it were a TMS thing but then I get the pain too when the anxiety gets bad. I'm not really understanding this whole thing in this context.
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| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| koukla |
Posted - 12/03/2007 : 16:12:48
Hi Art,
I did the program years ago but I'll tell you what I remember. The program had audio tapes that you listened to on certain topics--one per week or something like that. They were common things that people with anxiety suffer from. Social situations, fear, perfectionism, panic attacks, what if thinking, obsessive thoughts, self medication, proper nutrition, driving, hypochondria (I'd like to listen to it again now that I know about TMS), agoraphobia, etc. They were like roundtable discussions with Lucinda (who suffered from anxiety) and a couple other people who had recovered from anxiety and were living normal lives. They talked about how they recovered and they gave a lot of first person accounts of various issues that they had. It was actually encouraging to hear because the people they picked had really severe anxiety and I was a lot better off than they were. The treatment perscribed was actually a lot similar to TMS: journaling, realizing that you are a normal person and being gentle with yourself.
A lot of what they said about panic attacks actually seems like TMS. They said that it was your autonomic nervous system playing with your body and that it wasn't going to hurt your health in any way and that it was temporary. I never had another panic attack since I heard those other people talk about their experiences. I wasn't afraid anymore and my brain just didn't need to give me one. The program also had a workbook with guided jounaling questions and additional information to read. It was actually very well put together but expensive.
I know what you mean about books making you actually feel worse. I have had this happen to me as well. Books that actually help me a lot are books about the Bible. I am a Christian and there is so much in the Bible that deals with issues like anxiety and worry. I really like Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. It is really uplifting and she gives tons of examples and concrete things to do. Her show is awesome too and she is really down to earth.
Overall, I have to say that no program or single book has impacted my life more than prayer. When I get a worrysome thought, I pray (for other people) or start singing. It is a great distraction from the offending thought.
-Carolyn (Koukla) |
| art |
Posted - 12/03/2007 : 14:44:13
Hey Koukla,
Congatulations on the progess you've made with anxiety. Just curious, would you be willing to discuss some of the tools and coping skills the author recommends...This isn't laziness on my part. I've just found that self help books on anxiety have the unfortunate effect of making me worse...This has been the case since I read my first one 30 years ago...But wondering if there's anything there I've not yet thought of or tried...
Really, the only thing that works for me is to quit thinking about whatever it is that's worrying me, along with a bit of deep breathing and focusing on said breathing, essentially as a means of distraction...
I had something very traumatic happen to me a few years ago which really set me back in the anxiety wars...I'm much better now, but far from cured.
Many thanks,
A. |
| koukla |
Posted - 12/02/2007 : 14:23:01
I love meditation. I only started it a couple of months ago when my RSI got really bad. Before I realized I had TMS, it was the only time when I didn't have pain. |
| painintheneck |
Posted - 12/02/2007 : 14:13:37
Agreed wavy, haven't come up with a suitable id yet though, something that I am happy with anyway. |
| painintheneck |
Posted - 12/02/2007 : 14:12:05
koukla,
I am currently in counseling and hoping that will help with some coping skills for anxiety. I push through as much as I can now to try to loose as little life as I can to the limitations. I used to do regular meditation which I need to start back up again. I am in serious need of some "me time" but it is hard to find. |
| koukla |
Posted - 12/01/2007 : 09:25:59
Painintheneck, what steps are you taking to combat your anxiety? While you can't change your basic personality, you can do a lot to control your symptoms and your response to stress. I think this will help you with both your TMS pains and anxiety symptoms. A few years ago I did the Attacking Anxiety and Depression program by Lucinda Bassett http://www.stresscenter.com/. I haven't had a panic attack since I did it and it gave me a lot of good coping skills. The book The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron really helped me as well. |
| Wavy Soul |
Posted - 12/01/2007 : 09:09:37
One thing I see, PITN, is that your name - even humorously - is not an identity you really want to keep affirming, no?
xx
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
| painintheneck |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 15:51:51
Just want to bounce something around here.
I just had within the last week two dentist appts (new dentist)that totalled 4 hours. There was pain involved becaus eit was two root canals, one had an abscess.
The last time I had dental work done it was very unpleasant. Really to the point I won't use that person for emergency work even, he was really mean to me.
Anyway both times I have had really big flare ups of anxiety after the appts. Besides anxiety over the dentist this last time It wasn't super bad or anything.
I'm wondering if maybe the feelings or lack of control and being vulnerable are triggering something in my subconscious. I am having a really hard time this week. My neck feels a lot of pain because HAHA I slept wrong on it and my anxiety is really high.
The weirdest thing. I sleep all night on my right side which is unusual any more but if I do I always wake up with a kink pain thing in my neck.
Anyway I was just wondering if anyone saw anyting here I might be missing.
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| painintheneck |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 15:40:18
Thank you. |
| AnthonEE |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 12:37:51
You might find the following thread about anxiety and TMS interesting to read. The ideas do not directly reflect the message Sarno presents very clearly (that anxiety and depression are TMS equivalents) but interesting ideas to think about nevertheless... If nothing else it shows how many members find that anxiety and physical TMS symptoms coexist.
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3948 |
| koukla |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 06:35:15
My mother and I both have had anxiety as well as TMS problems. I told her about Sarno and the theory and she told me about relatives going 3 generations back who had "psychosomatic" illnesses. I always get tension headaches when I get stressed and now that I have this hand problem, they flare up as well. When I get into an argument or something, I can just feel the headache come on immediately. It has happened so many times that I stopped worrying about the headaches a long time ago. The RSI problems stay even when I am not currently under stress, but I know that they get worse when my headaches come on. Slowly, I am making the connection between unresolved anxieties and issues in the past and my current RSI. |
| mamaboulet |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 06:05:53
I have ALWAYS had an equivalent plus pain. The equivalent usually dominates. I'm a bigtime multi-tasker. Maybe my TMSbrain is too.  |
| armchairlinguist |
Posted - 11/29/2007 : 13:40:04
It could be conditioning, or it could be that one along is not enough. It also could be that you have a physiological "tensing" reaction when you are anxious which could trigger conditioned pain patterns.
Concurrent symptoms are not that uncommon. Treat them as you would any others.
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It's not 100% belief that's required, but 100% commitment. |
