| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Logan |
Posted - 01/03/2009 : 11:07:14
Hi,
I wanted to wish everyone a happy new year and to share an insight or two. I've been pain free and pretty much symptom free since 2003 but I've checking the board a little more frequently than I normally do as I'm on break from school. And I've noticed a definite shift in the topics, discussions toward the physical.
I can definitely understand the frustration/concern with digestive symptoms of TMS...
I've been experiencing my usual break-from-school stress. While I'm on "vacation," technically, and part of me is enjoying the relaxation, there's another part of my subconscious that gets very freaked out about having so much free time (anger at having to go back, eventually) and starts dreading the return to my teaching role (fear of f*ing up & anger at the pressure to succeed etc). The pre-semester freak outs I have are almost always accompanied by intestinal issues (gas, bloating, the always fun constipation/diarrhea merry go round).
But I know it's TMS because once I get back into the routine at school, they fade away.
What I'm challenging myself to do - and others here on the board - is to not get caught up in the distraction of this literal ****. Don't get sidetracked from the TMS work.
And I'm definitely talking to myself here as well as anyone else who cares to listen - use the punching bag you got for xmas, (re)read the book on anger "Facing the Fire", journal, talk to your therapist about your deep-rooted insecurity that makes you such an anxious perfectionist and makes you think you have to fix yourself up somehow to be "good enough."
Trust your body to be healthy and to function optimally. Talk to your mindbody and tell it that you're not falling for its literal or figurative ****. "Think psychological" as Sarno says. Don't forget the wisdom you've acquired just because your m/b is throwing new and scary symptoms at you.
I think there's a fine line between ruling out serious physical things like cancer (bowel cancer runs in my family, so I'm aware of the need for screenings etc) and getting caught up in structural diagnosis for "syndromes" like IBS. I guess everyone will need to follow their gut - pun intended - on that. But I think it's worth noting that diverticulitis and IB and all that stuff is a function of circulation and peristalsis and that would seem to fall under the rubric of TMS as restrictions of such are very, very similar to muscle ischemia and regulated by the same mindbody.
Let's all remember what we've worked so hard to learn in 2008 and be well in 2009! |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Logan |
Posted - 01/08/2009 : 16:35:32
Hi Stryder,
Nice to hear from you again! I kind of miss the old crowd...
Oh, yes, I'm well familiar with the "movie." In fact, as a writer I've been very consciously going into my mind and replaying what might be the mother of all those movies as right now I'm working on an essay that delves into the worst couple of years of my life - ages 11 to 13.
The essay has to do with a lot of dysfunctional family stuff and the social politics of junior high, which I had a very hard time negotiating. It's the way those things coincided that made it especially hard, it led me to feel a lot of shame about my family not being good or normal along with the "normal" shame about not being pretty enough or popular or rich enough.
I know that's a major root of some of the equivalents I've been suffering lately, and that's in addition to the movie that plays in my mind during every break about not being good enough, smart enough, prepared enough to teach. Hmm, the movies do sound kind of similar to each other, don't they?
To John Acardi,
I would consider myself cured and happy. I don't suffer from the acute or chronic back/neck/shoulder pain that I suffered with for four years before discovering Sarno. I do still get a bit anxious and depressed, which may be equivalents. I get the occasional physical manifestation of TMS but I can make them go away almost instantaneously, usually. At most, it'll take a day or two of psychological digging to get them to go.
I definitely think my essay writing is a two edged sword in that it alarms my whatever you want to call it: inner child, demon, reptile that I'm always digging around in my memories and impressions and analyzing them and recording that analysis for public presentation; but at the same time, all that digging is a very clear sign to it that I'm not going to be easily distracted by pain etc.
How is the journaling going? I don't recall seeing any recent posts from you but perhaps I missed them.
Hope you are doing well,
L
quote:
Originally posted by Stryder
Hi Logan,
Great to hear you are still doing well.
Since you are on vacation and not bombarded with the daily onslaught of "stuff to do" that gives you more time to "play the movie". You know, "the movie"? The best thing to do is realise what your mind is doing and just try to think about something else that is fun to do. It takes a while, but if you keep trying you can learn a new skill (how to stop playing the movie).
Take care, -Stryder
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| forestfortrees |
Posted - 01/05/2009 : 21:02:48
@Logan
hear hear! I totally agree. Not like it's easy, though. I certainly know that it isn't easy for me. I'm almost expecting that despite my best intentions, I will probably lapse fairly deeply into "thinking physically" at some point in the next five years. That's part of my reason for wanting to make the wiki... to force myself to invest more deeply in these ideas. But I know that even if I do relapse, it will never be like it was before, because I will never forget the freedom that I gained when I started taking Sarno seriously. |
| Stryder |
Posted - 01/05/2009 : 19:07:45
Hi Logan,
Great to hear you are still doing well.
Since you are on vacation and not bombarded with the daily onslaught of "stuff to do" that gives you more time to "play the movie". You know, "the movie"? The best thing to do is realise what your mind is doing and just try to think about something else that is fun to do. It takes a while, but if you keep trying you can learn a new skill (how to stop playing the movie).
Take care, -Stryder |
| mizlorinj |
Posted - 01/05/2009 : 11:19:57
Agree, Logan, I noticed all the physical talk on here lately too.
In a nutshell for newbies: The mind is very powerful. DR. SARNO'S TREATMENT PLAN as clearly outlined in his books WORKS. It takes time and effort. Shortcutting does not bring long-term results! And it truly is a new way of thinking (and believing).
Best wishes! |
| johnaccardi |
Posted - 01/04/2009 : 21:55:29
Thanks a lot for the encouragement Logan. Do you still spend a great deal of time and effort fighting off TMS or would you call yourself "cured" and "happy"? |
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