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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
 Posted - 10/31/2004 : 09:51:30
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The long-term goal of TMS treatment is, of course, to eliminate all psychogenic pain.
But is this truly a reasonable goal? Maybe not.
I think it is inevitable that TMS-prone people will have bouts of psychogenic pain from time to time. The key, in my opinion, is how one thinks about the pain.
If the pain is met with fear (will it get worse?) or frustration (I know it is TMS so why do I still get pain?) or doubt (maybe the pain is due to my herniated disc after all) then one has not succeeded at changing their thought patterns.
If the pain is met with acceptance (I know that this is just a signal that I may be repressing emotions) and courage (I will not let this pain get the best of me; I know what it is and I will not allow it to consume me) and confidence (this pain has no physical cause; it is psychological and will pass) then one is on the right track.
I believe that if you take the second path, over time the symptoms will improve. Attacks will become fewer and far between. Chronic pain will reduce in intensity. How much time? There is no answer. It is highly dependent on the individual. The important thing is to understand that this is a reconditioning process.
We have been conditioned since childhood to be the way we are: to habitually repress emotions, to escape from some of our true feelings. Similarly we have been conditioned by modern medicine that there are many possible physical causes of pain, from herniated discs to soft mattresses to sitting in chairs.
Both of these forms of conditioning are ingrained in us. They took years to develop (in the former case, close to our entire lifetime). It is only logical to expect that it will take time to undo the conditioning, and during that time, to expect some psychogenic pain to continue.
Some claim that they have been able to eliminate all psychogenic pain, permamently. If this is true, then they are highly unique individuals. Even Dr. Sarno admits he still gets psychogenic symptoms.
So what is the goal? To be pain-free? Or to accept TMS for what it is, and change your thought patterns with the long-term view that over time, the symptoms will steadily improve. I prefer the latter. |
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JoeW
United Kingdom
61 Posts |
Posted - 10/31/2004 : 17:29:20
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Excellent post Dave - I think you've really summed up the essence of TMS, and the best approach to dealing with it.
Thanks. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 10/31/2004 : 19:48:53
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Excellent post Dave. I agree whole-heartedly. You corraborate what I have learned during my almost ten year experience with pain and TMS. Thank you, and Gary before you, for sustaining this website so that the few of us on the planet have a forum to discuss this vital subject.
I agree with Dr. Sarno, that few will accept his TMS theory. It is more difficult to look inward for the answers to our pain than to sit in the waiting room or order a magic-bullet from late-night TV with a money-back guaarantee. |
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ank
5 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2004 : 08:52:20
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| Thanks for the excellent post, Dave. It is always very helpful to hear your perspective on TMS. Please keep posting them. |
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Kavita
USA
47 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2004 : 09:57:55
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Dave,
Thank you for that post. I find that I am often frustrated at the fact that my pain has not significantly lessened. These words are exactly what I need to stay motivated and focused - so I will print them up and keep them with me whenever I feel discouraged. |
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Suzanne
USA
66 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2004 : 10:17:56
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Another THANK YOU to Dave for an excellent post.
It's just what I needed for when I get frustrated with the downs in the progress, or start thinking too much. |
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Scout
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2004 : 10:23:25
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Excellent post Dave. I just wanted to let you know that whenever I visit the site I go straight to any post you have made because I find them the most helpful. Even though I don't communicate on the board very often I read what you right word for word. Thanks for the time that you take.
Scout
Scout |
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Simona
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2004 : 18:42:28
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Dave,
I agree with the others on your excellent post. You have helped me and I am sure many others more than you know. Yours is a voice of reason where there are not always easy answers or quick solutions. You stay the course and don't waver in your convictions. Thank you for your valuable input and time involved. |
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n/a
374 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2004 : 02:28:10
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Thanks for taking the time to put your ideas so well, Dave. I think that you have hit the nail on the head here. I've said before, I know, that reading Dr Sarno's work was the most important factor, by far, in my recovery from a life that had become very difficult because of chronic back pain. However, it was not easy to fend off TMS attacks, although they were never so severe or frightening again.
In addition to what you say - pain exists to alert us that something is going wrong. It is designed to grab our attention over everything else that is going on in our lives; so it is a formidable opponent when it becomes a distorted signal, as it does in the case of TMS sufferers. It's little wonder that many of us find it takes time and a great deal of effort to counteract what is often years of conditioning. |
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Allan
USA
226 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2004 : 07:04:23
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First of all, it was not only a very excellent posting but also a wonderful future reference. I have printed it out and saved it in my “Back Pain” folder. The points made in the posting go right to the heart of the matter and the forum members can benefit greatly from the messages in it.
Secondly, I humbly wish to point out that I am fortunate to be one of the unique ones, in that I have fully recovered for four years now. I know of several others that participate in Fred Amir’s forum that are also fully recovered. Even a non-forum participant, the janitor at my library who had worn a back brace for nine years and is now stacking books without a problem (thanks to Dr. Sarno). The experience of Norman Cousins would also suggest that he had TMS and (thanks to his program of laughter and the three stooges) had a complete recovery. I credit my initial recovery to Dr. Sarno. I credit my continued recovery to eliminating anger rather than controlling it.
In summary, although there are cases of complete recovery, it appears that very few do recover completely as a percentage of the whole. Perhaps it is just the luck of the draw.
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What is the Goal?
