| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sarah Jacoba |
Posted - 10/08/2008 : 17:10:45
OK, so I'm musing about TMS theory because I've had a big relapse-- if you want to call it that-- this past week. We perfectionists and goodists generate a lot of anger w/ our personalities, which we normally are good at "stuffing" and are consciously not that aware of. I understand that TMS is a way of being distracted from emotions, because the emotions are more unacceptable than the pain (as hard as that is to believe when one is dealing with the pain!) but what I am wondering is if we as adults are always so good at stuffing the anger away, why we need TMS all of a sudden? With me, I understand why I first developed TMS (a divorce), but now that I am years past that, and have been 90% free of symptoms for about 4 years, why would I be having a relapse now? I know that the catalyst was an injury I had last month which focused me on my body again (and so now I have TMS trigger point pain even though I'm over the injury), but my psychological situation has been pretty stable over the past couple years.... I know I am a perfectionist but I've been able to deal with that balance of perfectionism and undoubtedly some suppressed emotions WITHOUT TMS symptoms for the time that I've felt better. And I also understand that what I'm experiencing now is just TMS, not anything pathological, which I wasnt so clear on 4 years ago. So why am I still having trouble? Part of me wants to answer that the pain IS the repressed emotions, but I dont think that's the theory is it? The theory is rather that TMS is a distraction from the emotions. Because if TMS WAS the repressed emotions, they weren't pain three weeks ago, but were probably still there before I had pain. In other words, why the change in my subconscious' strategy now?
--Sarah Hyacinth Jacoba
"When dream and day unite" |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dave |
Posted - 10/09/2008 : 11:21:00
Symptoms often appear when you are repressing something. There is no way to know the specific cause, but I would examine changes in your life recently that you may have glazed over as not being a big deal, but are actually affecting you more than you realize. Often it is something you don't think is bothering you inside. Or, maybe you acknowledge that something is bothering you, but don't fully appreciate how it truly affects the child inside you.
Most importantly, just dismiss any relapse as TMS and ignore the symptoms and shift your thoughts to the psychological realm. This reinforces your beliefs. |
| mizlorinj |
Posted - 10/09/2008 : 09:53:29
Hi Sarah. Too much thinking!! LOL
Dr. Sarno says our "beaker" is made up of 1/3 childhood stuff, 1/3 personality type (perfectionism, people-pleasing, goodism), 1/3 everyday stressors. When it begins overflowing (on top of our unconscious stuff) is when pain or another mind/body condition appears. So it would appear your reservoir is overflowing.
What bugs you? Where does your perfectionism come from? What can you do to turn it down a bit (I've done that)? What happened in the past that can still be triggered by current events? I ask this because I just brought up something from the past to someone that I felt was unfair (I didn't bring it up in that context) and it hit me that I still resent this third party for in my eyes doing me wrong. So I know I have to do some journaling about it so I can come to terms with it so when I see him I don't want to swat him anymore. It was 5 years ago and it is time to get this off me! I feel a slight headache now that I realized this.
I'm an advocate of journaling to get relief as most frequent Boarders know. It has helped me so many times. I'd get a pen out and start to write--you really never know what releases you'll experience! I've had some surprises myself! I'm not saying unconscious things will necessarily ever be released (but it has in some people) but keeping up with getting things off us keeps things at bay so our body won't react.
I also want to acknowledge your recognition of being over an injury; the body heals and lingering pain is likely mind induced. Absolutely agree!
Best wishes.
Lori |
| scottjmurray |
Posted - 10/08/2008 : 18:14:52
well, we're not really sure on the finer points of the theory to tell you the truth. the human bodymind is a complex organism and it's tough to say exactly how the whole shabang works. my guess would be that the timing of tms is related to how well you will be distracted, and how full the emotional reservoir is. this would explain why we don't get tms until we're older. all those emotions have some time to build up before they burst.
---
author of tms-recovery . com
(not sh!t, champagne)
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