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stanfr
USA
268 Posts |
 Posted - 06/17/2007 : 00:58:36
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I was curious what F. Schiffer ("Of Two Minds") thought of Sarno's theory, so i called him and asked. Not surprisingly, he played down the idea of the symptom as a distraction, but thought Sarno had some "interesting ideas". However, he felt Sarno's treatment plan was "inadequate". While I would give Sarno more credit than that, and am pretty well convinced that the distraction idea is essential in some cases, I certainly do not think Sarno's theory is a "unified theory" or "theory of everything".
Shary (see recent post by Skizzik) mentioned F. Amir's book, which i haven't read yet, but the "inner child" sounds to me identical to Schiffer's theory that one hemisphere can be immature; basically a child. Under this approach, symptoms can be a means of trying to get attention (like a child acting up) or even perhaps bullying (as victims of abuse sometimes become abusers). His approach involves having one side of the brain comfort and guide the troubled side. In my case, i quickly discovered which side was troubled when I imagined painful memories while looking only out the right side of my right eye. The pain was powerful and present, like i was reliving it. Looking out the left side, things were not nearly so bad, they were manageable. This ties in with the fact that my psychosomatic symptoms are predominant on the right side of my body.
I'm currently trying both approaches, as i don't see any real problem with using them concurrently. |
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Shary
147 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2007 : 09:38:24
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Stanfr, thanks for an interesting comment. I don't see any harm in using more than one approach as long as they don't conflict. Amir very much uses Sarno's approach but he takes it a few steps further and claims his method works faster.
My notion of the subsconscious, or Inner Child, is more of an Inner Neanderthal. I am beginning to think it's an undeveloped, underneeded part of the brain that was more geared to the fight-or-flight days when our ancestors were frequently running for their lives to avoid being eaten by predators. They didn't have time to chart out their actions on a laptop; their subconscious told them to GO and they didn't question. They WENT! Now we rarely need to do that. Could be that the Inner Child has largely outgrown its usefulness and might entirely disappear in a few more millenia, it's few remaining tasks taken over by more mature sections of the brain. |
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ralphyde
USA
307 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2007 : 10:55:56
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Thanks, Stanfr, for this post, and I'm glad you found that book useful, as did I, and you followed up by talking to Dr. Schiffer.
I think it gave added insight to the nature of our brains, ie., two hemispheres and therefore two separate minds trying to live together in harmony or disharmony (as with TMS). I don't think it conflicts with Dr. Sarno's theories, but adds to one's background of understanding of the brain.
And I think his approach of "comforting and guiding the troubled side" may eventually be more helpful, may reduce the number of TMS equivalents that emerge, and that a bullying attitude to the troubled side may be counterproductive, just like with a child.
Ralph |
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altherunner
Canada
511 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2007 : 11:10:28
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I believe Dr. Schechter uses the term "distraction pain syndrome".
Dr. Scott Brady uses "Autonomic Overload Syndrome", in Pain Free For Life." Anything that helps, and does not conflict with Sarno, must be good. Much better than"Stay home, take pills, don't exercise".
Another good book about the mind is "The Ancestral Mind", by Dr. Gregg Jacobs. He describes the modern "thinking mind" of the neo-frontal cortex as having taken over from the mammalian mind and reptilian minds completely, about 10,000 years ago. The benefits of the "tm", come with our anxiety, depression,and psychosomatic ailments(he doen't say tms). He proposes that the "Ancestral Mind" didn't have these ailments, and we existed in a natural, relaxed state of being, interupted with bouts of fight or flight when called for. He works with Dr. Herbert Benson at Harvard, specializing in sleep disorders."Say Goodnight to Insomnia" is also very good. |
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stanfr
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2007 : 01:01:18
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Thanks for all the input, folks! Good grief, with all those books i have to read now, how am i gonna have time tot go out and party??  |
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Schiffer's dual mind approach
