| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| 0to60 |
Posted - 01/13/2013 : 19:15:39
I'm around 3 months into my TMS healing process and I've seen some great results as far as regained abilities, but I'm struggling to figure out which emotions I'm repressing. Sarno says that TMS doesn't result from the things you're conciously mad about, its subconcious rage that you're NOT aware of.
How do I figure out what this is? And, how will I know when I identify it? Will it be the immediate "ah-ha!" moment followed by instant pain relief that I read about in many TMS books? Thusfar, this has eluded me. |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| NicoleSachsLCSW |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 15:34:21
Hey there. Your's is the first post to which I am replying, but I won't have time for them all. I hope to reach as many people as possible, as soon as I can. After all, we all just want to feel better. I get it. After all, I was once you.
My name is Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW. I'm a clinical Psychotherapist AND was a Sarno patient years ago, in my early 30's. I spoke for years on Sarno's Alumni Panel at NYU (I see myself referenced in many of these old posts, which makes me smile.) After years of working with many Sarno patients and many more of my own, I've written my first book on the topic which I am CERTAIN will help you. You, and every YOU out there. I wrote this book for you.
I will be posting on my own to spread the word, but since yours was the first post I encountered, I decided to write back to you. I hope that this continues to go well for you, and inspires you to stay the path. The power of this science is mind-blowing, to me at least. It saved and changed my life, long ago, and still does.
Currently, my book is available on AMAZON and LuLu.com, but will soon be available for B&N Nook, and selling independently on iTunes and iBooks (although LuLu's format works amazing on iPads.) If you're not a computer/tablet person, the hardcover should be out in a couple weeks. Lots of my clients are asking for a "real book :)"
I wish you well, and I hope this helps you. If you are as dedicated as you sound, it certainly will.
All the best,
Nicole
quote:
Originally posted by 0to60
I'm around 3 months into my TMS healing process and I've seen some great results as far as regained abilities, but I'm struggling to figure out which emotions I'm repressing. Sarno says that TMS doesn't result from the things you're conciously mad about, its subconcious rage that you're NOT aware of.
How do I figure out what this is? And, how will I know when I identify it? Will it be the immediate "ah-ha!" moment followed by instant pain relief that I read about in many TMS books? Thusfar, this has eluded me.
|
| Dave |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 14:27:35
quote:
Originally posted by 0to60Yes, I'm looking for "techniques" to help me uncover things that I might not be aware of, and then what to DO with this information once I obtain it.
Afraid what you are asking is impossible. Luckily, it is not necessary for recovery from TMS.
Unconscious emotions by definition cannot be felt. We cannot uncover them. We can only search for things that might be contributing to them. We can think about what is going on in our lives: things that may be bothering us more than we realize; things that we are not being truly honest with ourselves about; things that we are embarassed or afraid to face up to; things that we don't want to admit that we feel because we may not want to feel them.
While we might be able to find these "things" they are not necessarily the actual repressed emotions responsible for triggering TMS symptoms. They are simply potential ingredients of the unconscious rage that Dr. Sarno uses as a metaphor for the psychological causes of the symptoms.
Hopefully, the search will reveal some feelings that we have been avoiding and that may be causing TMS symptoms; however, there is no way to know for sure if that is the case. Nor is it important.
The important thing is the act of trying to find these things. This sends a message to your unconscious mind that you are going to dive into the dirty pool of emotions that it is trying to protect you from feeling. If reconditions you to think about your emotions rather than the symptoms. It reprograms your response to the symptoms. It takes away their power over you.
So, don't try so hard to "figure out which emotions" you are repressing. You can't, and you don't have to. Just try your best and accept the process for what it is: a fundamental change in the way you think about and react to the symptoms.
IMO, if you keep searching for "techniques" it is counterproductive. There is no quick fix. It is not as if you are going to magically hit on the one emotion that you are repressing that is causing the symptoms. Even if you did, most likely some other feeling will be repressed in the future and the cycle will start again. Accept that repression of emotions is just part of being human, and TMS is just a misguided attempt by our brain to protect us. Short circuit the mechanism by changing your mindset and behavior. Accept that they are benign, and try to figure out what might be causing them. Make this a new habit, one you will have for the rest of your life. |
| alix |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 14:17:29
0-60:
I just thought about those events and tried to let them go.
You can journal about it too.
Some people say that doing EFT or EMDR while thinking about the trauma can help neutralize the negative effect. |
| 0to60 |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 14:06:21
quote:
Originally posted by alix
Again I agree tennis tom but I think it is beneficial to use some techniques that can help reach the ultimate goal even if they were not recommended in HBP.
Another powerful technique that I have used by myself (and I was so pleasantly surprised to see it referenced in Steve's book) is "commanded dreams".
Simply 10 minutes before drifting to sleep, tell your unconscious mind that you want to dream about what is bothering you (or any other clear goal). Keep a notepad next to your bed. Don't take any sleep-aid.
You will be surprised by what vivid and on target dreams you get.
Yes, I'm looking for "techniques" to help me uncover things that I might not be aware of, and then what to DO with this information once I obtain it.
I just found out about the programmed dream technique yesterday, and last night I dreamed I was helping my friend. I woke up, thought about it, fell back asleep, and dreamed that I was helping him through his divorce. It was like my subconscious knew I wasn't quite sure what about helping my friend was angering me, so it gave me a more detailed dream. Crazy!
I'll be doing this every night. And when I'm done with TMS pain, I'll keep doing it just so I can have dreams about flying!
But the question is, what do I DO with this piece of info? I accept that helping him through his divorce is causing subconscious anger, but how do I use that to alleviate TMS? |
| 0to60 |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 14:00:42
quote:
Originally posted by tennis tom
To avoid speeding tickets take it to the track, what are your wheels?
Stop searching for the black bullet incident that befell you with your TMS pain. TMS pain is an accumulation of multiple life-long mis-perceptions, created by your TMS personality traits, GOODISM, PERFECTIONISM, PROCRASTINATION, etc. Ruminating over the past will keep you stuck in your TMS pain syndrome. The object is to get on with your life--not paralysis by analysis.
In the course of the day when you feel the volume control on your TMS pain button taking over your thoughts, shift your thinking from structural to the emotional. Reflect about the situation you are in and why you're letting it stress you out with TMS. Deal with the situation and not the pain attempting to distract you from it--be in your now. Speak your mind and act accordingly to resolve or accept. If the situation won't allow for resolution at the time, realize what is triggering the pain--benign TMS emotional distraction--is just benign TMS pain. As SteveO says, lead a dynamic life--stop ruminating about the past--those negative thoughts will keep you in pain. "Healing is gradual, very gradual." SteveO, "THE GREAT PAIN DECEPTION". Do stuff to distract yourself with positive actions and good thoughts to build your confidence in TMS practice.
I have a Corvette, and road racing events definitely took the fun out of driving on public roads. Too many cars, too many potholes!
So, I've long suspected that there isn't really some repressed bad memory that, once uncovered, will allow me to heal. I'm definitely more inclined to think that TMS is resulting from my day to day thinking process.
In his book, SteveO talks a lot about internal conflict. I strongly identify with this, as I'm a perfectionist and I'm never satisfied with my performance in life. I'm CONSTANTLY beating myself up for underachieving. I have a lot of potential and ability, but I have LOTS of "unproductive" interests and hobbies competing for my attention, and I'm ALWAYS waging this battle of "Boy, I'd sure like to do such-and-such right now, but I should be working". That battle is going on in my mind at least 50% of my waking time.
But this isn't really "repressed"; its something that I'm consciously thinking about, and I've always consciously thought about it. Its never far from my thoughts. So if this is causing TMS, what do I do? How do I fix it? Here's an example of what I'm doing now: My back hurts when I bend a certain way, so I'll "lean into the pain" and hold it as long as I can. I'll think to myself, "the pain isn't structural, you're feeling a tension headache in your back right now". I'm trying HARD to make the association between the back pain and the tension. Kind of like the association we easily make between sinking feeling in your stomach and the realization that you forgot about an important appointment today. I feel that if I could make that association, the pain would have no further power.
I can't tell if its working or not. In TMS books, you read a lot of stories about people having an Ah-ha! moment when they realize that they're pissed at mom for making them babysit, or whatever, and instant pain relief follows. I'm not getting that at all. |
| alix |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 10:03:15
Again I agree tennis tom but I think it is beneficial to use some techniques that can help reach the ultimate goal even if they were not recommended in HBP.
Another powerful technique that I have used by myself (and I was so pleasantly surprised to see it referenced in Steve's book) is "commanded dreams".
Simply 10 minutes before drifting to sleep, tell your unconscious mind that you want to dream about what is bothering you (or any other clear goal). Keep a notepad next to your bed. Don't take any sleep-aid.
You will be surprised by what vivid and on target dreams you get.
|
| tennis tom |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 07:54:01
quote:
Originally posted by 0to60
tennis tom:
I used to do it a lot faster than I do now, but I've been "speeding ticketed" into submission.
When I'm in pain, instead of focusing on the pain itself I sit and ponder everything that's going on in my life. Or sometimes I'll just sit down and think of every unpleasant memory I can recall, whether its shameful, embarrassing, angry, anything.
That never seems to result in immediate pain relief. I think I might be trending toward less of the chronic, always-there pain, but I'm not sure.
To avoid speeding tickets take it to the track, what are your wheels?
Stop searching for the black bullet incident that befell you with your TMS pain. TMS pain is an accumulation of multiple life-long mis-perceptions, created by your TMS personality traits, GOODISM, PERFECTIONISM, PROCRASTINATION, etc. Ruminating over the past will keep you stuck in your TMS pain syndrome. The object is to get on with your life--not paralysis by analysis.
In the course of the day when you feel the volume control on your TMS pain button taking over your thoughts, shift your thinking from structural to the emotional. Reflect about the situation you are in and why you're letting it stress you out with TMS. Deal with the situation and not the pain attempting to distract you from it--be in your now. Speak your mind and act accordingly to resolve or accept. If the situation won't allow for resolution at the time, realize what is triggering the pain--benign TMS emotional distraction--is just benign TMS pain. As SteveO says, lead a dynamic life--stop ruminating about the past--those negative thoughts will keep you in pain. "Healing is gradual, very gradual." SteveO, "THE GREAT PAIN DECEPTION". Do stuff to distract yourself with positive actions and good thoughts to build your confidence in TMS practice.
==================================================
DR. SARNO'S 12 DAILY REMINDERS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0dKBFwGR0g
TAKE THE HOLMES-RAHE STRESS TEST
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale
Some of my favorite excerpts from _THE DIVIDED MIND_ :
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2605
==================================================
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Jiddu Krishnamurti
"Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional." Author Unknown
"Happy People Are Happy Putters." Frank Nobilo, Golf Analyst
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." Mark Twain and Balto
"The hot-dog is the noblest of dogs; it feeds the hand that bites it." Dr. Laurence Johnston Peter
======================================================
"If it ends with "itis" or "algia" or "syndrome" and doctors can't figure out what causes it, then it might be TMS." Dave the Mod
=================================================
TMS PRACTITIONERS:
John Sarno, MD
400 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016
(212) 263-6035
Here's the TMS practitioners list from the TMS Help Forum:
http://www.tmshelp.com/links.htm
Here's a list of TMS practitioners from the TMS Wiki:
http://tmswiki.org/ppd/Find_a_TMS_Doctor_or_Therapist
Here's a map of TMS practitioners from the old Tarpit Yoga site, (click on the map by state for listings).:
http://www.tarpityoga.com/2007_08_01_archive.html |
| 0to60 |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 06:48:08
tennis tom:
I used to do it a lot faster than I do now, but I've been "speeding ticketed" into submission.
The mere understanding of the process (subconscious mind hides unpleasant emotions away and creates distracting pain so that I don't have to think about them) definitely helped me a lot. I remember reading the first few pages of HBP and I stood up and bent forward and touched my toes. I hadn't done something like that in 20+ years. I ran up the steps two at a time and went from the machines (lame) back to free weights at the gym. Simply understanding the process and believing that there are no structural problems has given me my life back.
But I still have chronic pain. Its not debilitating anymore, but its still there and I want to finish the process and get to where I'm pain free and fully cured. When I'm in pain, instead of focusing on the pain itself I sit and ponder everything that's going on in my life. Or sometimes I'll just sit down and think of every unpleasant memory I can recall, whether its shameful, embarrassing, angry, anything.
That never seems to result in immediate pain relief. I think I might be trending toward less of the chronic, always-there pain, but I'm not sure. |
| tennis tom |
Posted - 01/14/2013 : 00:19:53
Yes, hardcore cases may need psychotherapy, but that's a minority of TMS'ers. The OP is only three months in to his TMS journey so we shall see. Given his monicker of 0to60, I'm predicting he will be a TMS fast study.
Zoom, Zoom
==================================================
DR. SARNO'S 12 DAILY REMINDERS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0dKBFwGR0g
TAKE THE HOLMES-RAHE STRESS TEST
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale
Some of my favorite excerpts from _THE DIVIDED MIND_ :
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2605
==================================================
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Jiddu Krishnamurti
"Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional." Author Unknown
"Happy People Are Happy Putters." Frank Nobilo, Golf Analyst
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." Mark Twain and Balto
"The hot-dog is the noblest of dogs; it feeds the hand that bites it." Dr. Laurence Johnston Peter
======================================================
"If it ends with "itis" or "algia" or "syndrome" and doctors can't figure out what causes it, then it might be TMS." Dave the Mod
=================================================
TMS PRACTITIONERS:
John Sarno, MD
400 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016
(212) 263-6035
Here's the TMS practitioners list from the TMS Help Forum:
http://www.tmshelp.com/links.htm
Here's a list of TMS practitioners from the TMS Wiki:
http://tmswiki.org/ppd/Find_a_TMS_Doctor_or_Therapist
Here's a map of TMS practitioners from the old Tarpit Yoga site, (click on the map by state for listings).:
http://www.tarpityoga.com/2007_08_01_archive.html |
| alix |
Posted - 01/13/2013 : 23:53:29
tennis tom,
In principle you are absolutely right. But what about if you get stuck after 2 years having followed every single recommendation in HBP including a full year of TMS psychotherapy?
Exploring those repressed and not so repressed issues under the guidance of a professionally trained practitioner helped me quite a bit.
I just finished the Dr. J.Alexander book and his "ah-ha" moment was when he connected the trauma of a car accident 20 years earlier and his groin pain. So in his case, the connection between a particular event and the pain was key to healing. |
| tennis tom |
Posted - 01/13/2013 : 23:37:37
0to60, how fast do you do 0 to 60? |
| tennis tom |
Posted - 01/13/2013 : 22:51:34
You don't have to identify them, you only have to understand the theory, the pain is benign, harmless. It's created by your subconscious mind as a defense mechanism. Your subconscious has decided expressing your rage openly will create even greater emotional pain. Lose the fear that you are doing damage by movement .
==================================================
DR. SARNO'S 12 DAILY REMINDERS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0dKBFwGR0g
TAKE THE HOLMES-RAHE STRESS TEST
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale
Some of my favorite excerpts from _THE DIVIDED MIND_ :
http://www.tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2605
==================================================
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Jiddu Krishnamurti
"Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional." Author Unknown
"Happy People Are Happy Putters." Frank Nobilo, Golf Analyst
"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." Mark Twain and Balto
"The hot-dog is the noblest of dogs; it feeds the hand that bites it." Dr. Laurence Johnston Peter
======================================================
"If it ends with "itis" or "algia" or "syndrome" and doctors can't figure out what causes it, then it might be TMS." Dave the Mod
=================================================
TMS PRACTITIONERS:
John Sarno, MD
400 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016
(212) 263-6035
Here's the TMS practitioners list from the TMS Help Forum:
http://www.tmshelp.com/links.htm
Here's a list of TMS practitioners from the TMS Wiki:
http://tmswiki.org/ppd/Find_a_TMS_Doctor_or_Therapist
Here's a map of TMS practitioners from the old Tarpit Yoga site, (click on the map by state for listings).:
http://www.tarpityoga.com/2007_08_01_archive.html |
| alix |
Posted - 01/13/2013 : 20:02:51
Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) is a practice that can help you find those repressed memories via muscle testing. Have a look here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx3aqfiePY4
The relief is not instantaneous and some of it is worked overnight during your sleep. You may improve a day later.
But most likely, it is a collection of stressful events, not likely a major central trauma that you have repressed.
Also some events in your life that you feel were fairly innocuous but in fact may have had a deep impact on your unconscious mind. |
| pspa123 |
Posted - 01/13/2013 : 19:22:10
I would recommend searching the archives for posts by people like Dave and SteveO I am sure they have spoken to this subject before. |
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