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AnthonEE
USA
80 Posts |
 Posted - 08/21/2007 : 16:06:58
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Hello. I am new to this forum. I happened across a few postings while doing some online research. Until today I had never heard of TMS, but it sure does sound like a dead ringer for what I've been struggling with recently. This is my first post, and I was wondering if others might be able to comment.
I'm 40 yrs old, in the Boston area, and only 2-3 years ago was a very strong athlete, in top physical condition, perfect nutrition, etc. I could run a 19min 5K, hike the 4000 footers without so much as getting winded, cycle, lift weights, ski... Then I hit 38 and it seems that all four wheels just LITERALLY FELL OFF. At any given moment I've got a list of 12 injuries going, many of them chronic and disabling. Besides a rotator cuff repair, no MRI has ever shown any real problem. Yet in a matter of two years, I am nearly unable to walk, cycle, lift weights, and going up and down stairs can be excruciating. I don't know what's happening to me. It's simply too much too fast, and cannot be explained away by age alone.
My pattern is this: go out and try to do some exercise, and then so much as sneeze the wrong way and I get a new injury. The injury heals up in a few weeks, only to return later (sometimes a month, sometimes six) to become chronic pain and often disabling. Then comes the anxiety over what it all means. I've seen endocrinologists, orthopedic doctors, general doctors, neurologists, physical therapists, even a psychiatrist and therapist. Nothing! My primary doctor wants me to see a rheumatologist. I SWEAR I've never been a hypochondriac before. But everybody including my girlfriend now thinks I'm a nut, and my insurance must absolutely hate me. I've been unable to walk more than short distances for a good chunk of the past year. I've started to develop anxiety disorder triggered by my disability. I'm scared, confused, frustrated, and desperate to become healthy again. I've started to think obsessively about getting older, and about my younger years. I feel like my body is 80 years old. 
I was referred to Dr Gino Martinez at NEBH by an orthopedic surgeon that I saw about some neuropathy apparently originating in my shoulder, and happened upon this forum when googling his name and also while researching about Sarno's books. I'm very interested to discuss this with others. Do others have experience with this doctor? And I see MUCH discussion about Sarno's book, MBP, I've already ordered it and look forward to a good read.
Does it sound like, based on your collective experience, that I may be a member of a club that I never intended to join??? And I saw several postings that indicated TMS has a higher prevalence in the Boston area. Any trend that others might be aware of? Thank you for your comments! And I apologize if many of my questions are already covered in the FAQs, I'm just so new to all this.
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Littlebird
USA
391 Posts |
Posted - 08/21/2007 : 16:36:55
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Welcome to the club! Your patterns of pain do sound like TMS, especially since all of your doctors have not been able to help. Read the book when you get it and read through some of the threads on this forum. You'll find what you're experiencing has all been experienced by others here.
As for turning things around and getting your life back, you will want to start looking at the psychological issues that could be triggering this stuff. Journaling is one of the best tools for many of us. Understand that even though you saw a psychiatrist, if they aren't familiar with the TMS ideas they often aren't able to direct a patient in the right direction to recognize and acknowledge the emotions behind the physical pain. Some people do get nearly instant relief from reading one of the books, but some need to use the journaling or even see a therapist who knows how to direct people to the right issues.
Many times changes can bring this on, such as new job, new relationship, new home, etc. Other times it can be that things just build inside us over time until some small incident pushes us over the edge, triggering our mind to resort to physical pain to distract us from the psychological issues that we aren't ready to face for whatever reason. Start thinking about what was going on just before this started, and also think about your past, looking especially for situations where you are stuffing feelings that might have been considered inappropriate, such as anger.
It's nice to have you here and I wish you all the best on the journey back to a normal life. |
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pericakralj
77 Posts |
Posted - 08/21/2007 : 16:54:51
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I am still no pro in TMS theory and i am still learning about it but i would say that you most probably have TMS.If doctors cant find anything wrong in your body i think its very clear whats your problem.
Read the book and read this forum and i think you will get better in time.
I could barrely sit without pain before i found about TMS,and now I am sitting for as long as i want with no pain at all. |
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Webdan65
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 08/21/2007 : 17:51:42
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AnthonEE,
Welcome to the forum. Welcome to TMS. You're about to discover some really interesting things about yourself and how the brain can work with you or against you. Don't worry, it's not fatal or permanent.
As for a prevalence in Boston, that's a new one for me.
Here's a post to take a look at. It provides a nice TMS summary:
http://tmshelp.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3833
If you understand the basic premise of TMS - repressed emotions cause a "short circuit" of the autonomic nervous system which reduces blood flow to areas of your body causing pain. Sarno's theory is that it's a defense mechanism to keep you focused on pain so the negative emotions stay buried. The good news is that it doesn't cause any permanent damage.
Even better news is that we don't have to totally understand the fine technical (emotional/physiological) details on exactly HOW it works to eliminate our pain.
The key is to really dig deep and figure out what emotions were prevailing when the pain first started a couple years ago. Evaluate what is keeping you in pain currently. For many of us, it was a major life event. Perhaps changes in jobs, stress at work or with the family, a particularly difficult relationship problem. Self imposed pressures to do more, be better...never being satisfied with our own performance. Money problems, etc.
A few suggestions - similar to Sarno's daily reminders:
* Read and re-read the information when you get the book. (read the forum posts and the success stories until the book arrives.)
* Don't acknowledge any physical reason for the pain.
* Don't be afraid, you're not broken.
* Think Psychological. (what's going on emotionally)
* Talk to your brain. Tell it you know what's going on.
* Journal every day. Write down everything you can about past and present frustrations, pressures, disappointments, things that anger you. Childhood issues, etc. Self imposed pressures. We are often our own worst critics.
* Resume physical activity when there is a significant reduction in pain. Doing too much too quickly can set you back.
* Finally it's worth repeating - no fear. You aren't broken.
Wrinse, lather, repeat.
And be patient. You have a couple years of pain to resolve and despite understanding this conceptually - it may take a little time for resolution of your pain. Don't set any time limits for yourself for that just increases frustration levels.
You can do this....you've found the answer. Work the system.
Let us know if you have more questions or need help.
Dan |
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shawnsmith
Czech Republic
2048 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 05:51:27
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Hi AnthonEE,
From the symptoms you are describing this sounds like a classic case of TMS especially since you have gone through so many tests and nothing has been found to account for your pain. So now you will have to take a different path if you wish to recover. I first recommend that you purchase Dr. Sarno's book "Healing Back Pain" as it is his best. The book is not only about back pain, but also outlines a program of what it takes to recover from your current condition. This will be a journey of self discovery.
I get the impression from the description of your exercise program that you are a really driven person and like to do things 101% all of the time. This places great pressure on the inner self and it will be necessary to examine what drives you to do so. This does not mean that you will have to stop your exercise program, but only come to an awareness of what drives you on the inside. Dr. Sarno's book will show you how.
Best wishes.
*******
Sarno-ize it!
Read chapter 4 of Dr. Sarno's "The Divided Mind." Also chapers 3, 4 and 5 in Dr. Scott Brady's "Pain Free For Life" are very important. |
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mizlorinj
USA
490 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 09:11:15
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Anthony, I had TMS hit me the WEEK I turned 40 (last November). Had butt and back pain here and there before that, ignored it pretty much, but THAT week I went to the ER with pain. Of course no one knew for sure, had xrays (degen disc disease) and then MRI which showed herniated disc. Tried doc's treatments, didn't work, thank GOD I found Sarno's books, saw him, have TMS, followed his plan, and was back to work 1.5 weeks later.
I wrote my hands off journaling about stuff, and wrote a long one on turning 40 to which I really had not given much thought until I was bedridden and read Dr. Sarno saying aging causes us unconscious rage. Hmm. Well it turned out to be pages long on turning 40.You can read details in Success Stories.
Don't be afraid--so many pains are brain-induced and not physical!! The key though is truly believing that is true.
Best wishes,
Lori |
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AnthonEE
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 10:59:33
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Thank you all for your comments. This is very very interesting, and I have much to read and to think about. Yes I fit the bill almost perfectly. I've been searching now for two+ years about why I seem to be in such tough shape. In my not so distant past I was absolutely unstoppable when it came to physical fitness and endurance. Some think maybe I just wore myself out. But I don't believe it for even one minute. Something has happened, and continues to happen, that cannot be explained by age or bad luck alone. And it is completely disarming and frightening to feel (or to be?) disabled like this, especially when fitness was such a central part of my life for so long.
Toward Dan's comment, at precisely the time this all started, I was a real train wreck. Family member in ICU. Deeply hurtful relationship problem. Unpleasant job change. Bought a condo that turned out to be a disaster, had to sell within months of buying. Torn hamstring, couldn't run to relieve stress. Rapid withdrawal from benzodiazapine medication that was prescribed to help with sleep (which subsequently caused acute panic and anxiety that I can scarcely even describe). I think there is plenty of fuel here for a toasty fire.
What remains a bit of a mystery however, is that while some of my difficulties have seem to have no physical justification, more than half of my chronic injury problems can in fact be traced to a very specific and real injury that occurred. For example, torn rotator cuff. That was very real, and of course needed to be fixed. Strained back in a skiing fall. That was very real. Hurt my arm waterskiing. Real. But what I don't understand is that even the minor things either never heal, or they only superficially heal to return later as chronic problems or disability. And I'm SO easily injured it seems. All this is just too much to ascribe to bad luck, or to turning 40 (right??). So is this pattern consistent with TMS? Am I perhaps in denial about age? Is this what it's really like? (CANT BE!) And is TMS more about pain or disability that has no known root cause? Or can it also feed on injuries that have a real physical basis? So many questions...
I have to be honest, I've been skeptical about much of this "repressed feelings and emotions" stuff throughout much of my life. I often thought there was a lot of "hokus pokus" with it all. But clearly the body is so able to affect the mind, and to make the mind sick. Why then cannot the mind also make the body sick?? Maybe in my case the body got just a "little" sick or injured, and the unhealthy response of the mind (no wonder with all the emotional trauma going on around me) causes the physical problems to become greatly amplified and truly disabling. It's not that these problems aren't real, just that they are so enabled by the mind's response. I think I'm just going to have to open my mind, and read what Sarno and the others (and you all) have to say. And I love the idea of journalling. If nothing else it may relieve those around me from having to listen to it all the time. I can get it out on paper. All this is truly very interesting, and encouraging, and I very much appreciate the feedback.
I do think it wise to also consult with a rheumatologist that I had previously scheduled, and to also follow through with Dr Martinez (who is well known for recommending that his patients read Sarno). I will be very happy to post my results. I will certainly read Sarno with a very open and optimistic mind. And I hope to keep getting your feedback. This forum is the best discovery I've made in a really long time. Thank you!
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swmr1
USA
118 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 11:14:33
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AnthonEE--
Your post sounds very much like my experience. I've always been an avid athlete and, somehow, after I had my second child, I started to have what became chronic piriformis pain. I also had shoulder impingement, achilles problems, foot problems, and knee problems. I completely quit running. I quit swimming for awhile and then started with fear and trembling doing MUCH less than ever. I stopped spinning. I even had to quit walking for awhile. I was feeling like having 3 babies and turning 40 had turned me into a giant wimp. In my mind it was probably all my fault for being so hard on my body for so long (I had been irresponsible and felt guilty about this, of course). I just knew my athletic life was ruined. Some of the problems I had may have been real injuries (minor ones) to start. But after they should have healed and I had done PT and extra strengthening exercises I would still have problems. Those problems would be on again/off again and no Dr. could give me a good explanation for my pain.
I began to notice that on certain evenings when going to bed, if I was in a particularly strong frame of mind, I could ignore my pain and go to sleep. I began to think that my brain had a lot to do with my pain. About a week later I saw Sarno's book on Amazon. It was amazing how quickly I was able to get back into so many of the activities I had given up. I have mild twinges of pain here and there but have found that so much of the issue for me was the fear. And the depression about never being able to do those things again. |
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Webdan65
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 11:20:18
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AnthonEE:
You are very welcome.
And to answer your question, TMS does tend to focus it's efforts on parts of the body that have normal signs of age or slight imperfections or even minor injuries. It is those very injuries that should heal within days or weeks that become persistent problems going on for WAY longer than they should. Not because we are old and frail. It is because TMS sees an opportunity to focus your attention on the location of a minor physical deficiency forcing you to cling to the "real" physical cause of the pain.
You claim that the TMS diagnosis and it's cure sounds a bit hocus pocus to you. It does to many. However, it is really the pain syndrome that is all a bunch of smoke and mirrors designed to distract you from the real cause. You'll see.
Like in the Wizard of Oz - the wizard isn't quite as frightening once you pull back the curtains and reveal the little bugger causing all the fuss.
You are on the right path. Keep that mind open. Keep posting questions and you'll get there. Let us know how we can help.
Dan |
Edited by - Webdan65 on 08/22/2007 11:21:19 |
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AnthonEE
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 12:30:18
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Swmr1, except for the three baby part, you hit my situation so square on the head it actually makes me smile. I even have fear and trembling when my girlfriend wants to go on a 2-3mile walk. I'm timid and afraid of further injury or prolonged recovery of existing injury! For Pete's sake, I used to run half marathons up Pikes Peak!!! How could I have become such a wimp? I have a very close doctor friend living in London. She calls me a "twig". That's British for "wimp"  And just as you say, I blame much on myself for pushing so hard on my body when I was younger. So it is very encouraging to read your common experience, especially since your outcome has been positive. Makes me hopeful I can do same. But no more half marathons, just a relaxing jog 2-3x per week, nice walks in the park, and weekend bike rides would be enough to make me plenty happy.
Webdan65, cant thank you enough for the support. Keep an open mind?? Will do!!
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swmr1
USA
118 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 12:46:44
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AnthonEE--
I'm glad you're smiling  I think it's such a function of my personality (and yours, it sounds like) to feel guilty for having "done something wrong" to cause my various aches and pains. When I read Sarno, I did particularly like the part where he talks about highly trained athletes who are supposedly "injured" by tiny movements an everyday person can do with ease. If anything, my back should be in better shape than the average person's and less susceptible to injury from bending over or picking up my child.
I think your exercise goals are totally doable. Start with something that doesn't freak you out too bad and just see if the pain is any worse than it would have been without activity. Since one day I'd exercise and feel pain and the next I'd exercise and feel fine, I knew that exercise probably wasn't the issue for me. I'd bet that will be the same for you.
I just swam in a meet where there were competitors in their 90's. A couple 92 year olds swam the 200 butterfly, for Pete's sake. We're only 40 freakin' years old. There's no way our bodies should be giving out at this age! |
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AnthonEE
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 15:14:35
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quote:
Originally posted by swmr1
We're only 40 freakin' years old. There's no way our bodies should be giving out at this age!
Correct! This is why I'm hell bent to figure out what's going on. My old running partner (pun intended) is also 40 and just ran his fastest 10K time ever. And I can't walk. Yet I'm the one that's been dedicated to fitness, good nutrition, never smoke, no drugs, rarely drink, etc. (Maybe that's the problem ) Just age? Bad luck? Doesn't add up!!
I must admit, reading the thread about "Parts of TMS theory Incomplete/Mistaken" started by stanfr makes great reading, but makes me question even what little I've learned about Sarno's approach. But I've decided to first read the book(s) with an open mind and make a dedicated effort to apply what I learn. And there are a few things I already know for absolute certain:
1. I experienced tremendous emotional trauma just before the onset of all these physical problems.
2. The mind has powerful influence over the physical body. There is overwhelming evidence, placebo effect being just one such well documented example.
3. For somebody to potentially suffer from TMS, I fit the psychological profile to a "T"
4. My physical body is not well, or so it "seems"
5. I've never made an honest attempt to use a mind-body approach to help attain physical wellness.
Conclusion: This avenue is completely unexplored by me, and is very much worth some effort. In retrospect it seems strange I didn't come to it before. I do really hope it helps.
Thanks again.
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Edited by - AnthonEE on 08/22/2007 15:22:48 |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2007 : 16:12:53
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Sounds like the only thing you've worn out is your emotions! Pushing yourself hard through all you've experienced life-issue-wise must have been quite draining to the unconscious.
I hope that your explorations of TMS give you a chance to explore that sense that you may have overextended from an emotional point of view, which is being transferred into the body of the mindbody and coming out through physical problems. I'd say it's extremely likely that aside from your specific injuries, which should all have resolved now, you have nothing physically wrong with you and will soon be running up Pike's Peak (wow) again.
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2007 : 08:20:58
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quote:
Originally posted by AnthonEE
I must admit, reading the thread about "Parts of TMS theory Incomplete/Mistaken" started by stanfr makes great reading, but makes me question even what little I've learned about Sarno's approach.
This is why, IMO, it is counterproductive to question the theory. Anything that adds doubt to the equation compromises the chance of success.
You have to decide for yourself if you are willing to believe a book written by a medical doctor based on years of clinical experience and thousands of success stories, without the analytical part of your mind getting in the way and questioning the theory. Even if there are components of the theory that raise skeptecism, it is critical to put those doubt aside and give it an honest effort.
By far the most important thing is to recognize that your own personality is similar to those described by Dr. Sarno as being susceptible to TMS. Even if you throw out all the details of the theory, one cannot dispute that the primary factor at work is conditioning -- and much of the work that we are doing is an effort to reverse that conditioning. |
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AnthonEE
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2007 : 08:33:51
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Ya, I think I really did myself in about two years back, emotionally that is. Wasn't by choice of course, never is I suppose. But when life dishes out some really tough problems, it takes time and energy for your mind (conscious or unconscious) to get wrapped around it properly. That's when it's so important to have strong support networks in your life, during those times. What I learned was that when it all happens too fast, then your mind has a sort of seizure, figuratively speaking. The older you get the more susceptible you can become. And the more your personality type fits a certain profile (same as TMS profile, go figure!) the more susceptible you may be as well. I had never experienced anxiety or panic attack before that. Simply awful and a terrifying experience. It's like an injury to the mind, and you need to recover from it just like if you had torn a muscle. Then maybe you need to rebuild emotional strength, just like if you were in PT for the torn muscle. All this takes time, and is very very real.
What I never really appreciated, and maybe am just now beginning to accept, is that this has a profound effect on the physical body too. I mean why would it not? But for some reason, in our western society, there is this great divide between mind and body. And I'm one of these people that is really hard on myself and I analyze everything to the nth degree. And I'm entering an age group that's no longer as robust as the 20 somethings. So I am particularly susceptible. And I also my have more reprogramming to do than the average person when it comes to accepting this connection between mind and body wellness. I've been trained all my life as a science/math/physics type where everything is just so objective. Talk about learning things the hard way. Why cant they teach us "useful" things like this in school?
One thing that I'm still wondering about, and time will of course tell, is how many of my chronic injuries (or disabilities whatever you call them) will respond to the work I'm setting out to do? Dan says TMS latches on to injuries and magnifies them to distract me from other more painful issues. I believe it, and I almost view this like having little defects in the armor. TMS uses these openings to get in. But this does not mean that everything must be TMS. If I break my toe, then clearly I've broken my toe, and it's going to hurt. I guess I still need to rule out anything that might be real and make sure it gets treated. Then that stuff that's being exaggerated or amplified by TMS, hopefully that will respond.
Also, I need to understand better why the TMS mechanism is so quick to distract one in this most unproductive way. Couldn't it distract me in some more pleasant way instead? I can think of a few ways that would be much better than not being able to walk or run, and just as effective or even more so. And it would have helped me outrun that hungry tiger back in the rain forest. Wouldn't that make me more fit for survival? I guess I just don't yet understand why this coping mechanism is in my best interest somehow.
Again, so many questions. My Sarno book is due to arrive today, and I'm going away for the weekend to read and relax. Very much looking forward to it.
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2007 : 08:44:59
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I'm not sure there is any distraction as effective as pain, frankly. You may think there is, but pain is incredibly all-consuming. When I was in pain, I was thinking about how to mitigate it. When I wasn't, I was thinking about how not to cause more. Virtually every activity came with some sort of caveat.
If I were you, I would start TMS work with openness to the possibility that anything you have that isn't an acute injury is TMS. If you have issues with some of it being persistent, do get checked out.
And finally, regarding the mind and body: the mind is the brain, and the brain is the body. They are simply not separate. Descartes was dumb. :-)
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Wherever you go, there you are. |
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Webdan65
USA
182 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2007 : 08:52:41
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AnthonEE:
As you'll see in the book, a true injury like a broken toe will heal within a reasonable period of time. A few weeks perhaps. It's when the pain continues well past our bodies natural ability to heal that one should become suspicious.
Sarno also points out that it is somewhat unclear why TMS causes this pain instead of allowing the emotional pain to unveil itself. And despite our conscious impression that it is not in our own best interest, it's the subconscious mind that controls this bugger.
Enjoy your relaxing weekend. Bring a note pad and a few pens so you can journal too. Be sure to post if your read something the gang here can help with.
Dan |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2007 : 09:01:32
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quote:
Originally posted by AnthonEE
One thing that I'm still wondering about, and time will of course tell, is how many of my chronic injuries (or disabilities whatever you call them) will respond to the work I'm setting out to do?
You have to accept there is no such thing as a chronic injury. Any injuries you had in the past have healed completely. The chronic part is TMS. |
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AnthonEE
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2007 : 11:19:56
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quote:
Originally posted by armchairlinguist
Descartes was dumb. :-)
Thanks! I agree with the points you have all made.
quote:
This is why, IMO, it is counterproductive to question the theory. Anything that adds doubt to the equation compromises the chance of success.
All - It does make me nervous to hear that the TMS theory should not be questioned. It makes any skepticism I may be harboring all the more poignant. I apologize if this diverges a bit from this thread. Maybe I could restate... but in a way that will be easier for an overly critical thinker like myself to accept.
We must be very careful when we decide not to question theory. We must be intellectually honest and ALWAYS question theory (of course taking great care to do so when we might not be an expert in the field). If the data supports the theory, then such questioning will further reinforce the belief in the theory, as it well should. If the data does not support the theory, then we move on, as we well should.
There are many writings, written by prophets, proclaiming truth and promising hope as long as one believes. These books have thousands of years of history, with millions of success stories. Some of it true? Perhaps. Some of it false? Perhaps. Yet these books are certainly not consistent, not even self consistent. Above all, they must not be questioned! Best intentions aside, some of these unquestioned beliefs have caused great ill and suffering in the world, possibly more than the sum total benefit they have provided. It is when we take theory on faith alone, that we turn off the key faculty that makes us human, the ability to reason and to make informed choice. It opens the door for false prophets, mystics, quacks, voodoo medicine, and conflict. It's a bad road for you, for me, for all of us.
This is not in any way to suggest that something very positive and productive is not going on with the TMS theory. I'm already positively convinced there may be something to this, and I've had only this forum to educate me so far. But if unconditional belief (without questioning the theory) is really a key part of this, then Sarno could just as well ask me to wear a fruit basket on my head, and if I really truly believe, then I will find healing. If it be true, then so be it. Call it what it is, and add it to the theory. We all benefit, and that's the goal.
But if it is not true, then there is a danger, and we all lose.
What if I had happened across a second forum with a different theory, from a credible expert, one that should not be questioned? (I can probably find one) Which forum would I then choose? Maybe one forum is a waste of time, and the other is not. Maybe they are both a waste of time. Maybe they both work. In each scenario, we must evaluate the data, and make an informed rational decision. So far I choose the TMS forum over the fruit basket forum, hands down. This choice is based on my increasing data and asking/answering sensible questions about this theory.
The outcome may still be very positive for TMS theory, provided the data supports it. And it appears that it does! And likely the qualified doctors with most experience (such as Sarno) should and do play a key role in scrutinizing and defending this theory, not random unqualified people like me. But I still get to review what is known and make informed questions and decisions to keep myself out of more trouble than I'm already in.
But there is always danger in taking on faith alone, any theory provided by any group of self professed experts, no matter the credentials. Because if the data does turn out to be wrong, then we've all wasted a great deal of time, energy, and hope. Even worse, it is possible that those requiring other medical care could have lost precious time by walking around with a fruit basket on their head (no appropriate smily icon is available for this comment)
We all have the common goal to find and accept the correct answer, whatever that might be, and get better. So we should never be afraid to honestly question a theory. If it is correct, then it is correct. If it is not correct, then we should find out post-haste and move along.
I don't mean to offend anybody here. I just think it is really a very important point, especially since I have been reading so much controversy about this topic, and maybe a fresh view point might be helpful.
Regardless, your comments have been very helpful and comforting to me. I really appreciate the feedback from all. I see Dr Martinez tomorrow, and should get to start reading Sarno tonight. I'm really looking forward to it! |
Edited by - AnthonEE on 08/23/2007 13:02:46 |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2007 : 11:36:46
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I wrote in another thread, and have been prone to repeating since then, that the important part of dealing with the question of doubt is the commitment that you bring. If you believe in the essentials of the theory (there really are a few core points that you need to find convincing in order to proceed -- note I don't say take on faith, but find convincing based on evidence and explanations) and you are committed to treating your pain as psychosomatic, then I believe you will have success.
--
Wherever you go, there you are. |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2007 : 11:43:57
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AnthonEE,
Your message is very long and analytical and in a general sense it seems reasonable.
But TMS is not a rational process and does not respond to analysis and intellectualization. In fact, these are enemies of TMS treatment.
TMS theory is based on the assumption that primitive, unconscious emotions are the root of our symptoms. It is a defense of the mind to prevent us from feeling these "forbidden" feelings.
You will never find scientific proof of the TMS theory. One can make endless arguments that Dr. Sarno is wrong, with seemingly valid reasoning. It is much easier to prove that back pain is caused by a bulging disc because we can see that bulge on an MRI. The same kind of evidence is not available for TMS. The evidence we have is an abundance of clinical cases including thousands of patients treated successfully by Dr. Sarno.
Successful treatment of TMS requires us to take a leap of faith. It requires us to believe that clinical evidence alone is valid "proof". It requires us to accept that modern medicine is arrogant to claim that emotions cannot be responsible for real physical symptoms. It requires us to believe that humans simply do not understand so much about how the brain works.
Analysis and intellectualization is not going to get you relief. If you are part of the majority that needs scientific proof, or cannot dismiss your skeptecism, at least enough to give the TMS treatment methods a chance and do the work honestly and diligently, then you just may be out of luck.
On the other hand, if you see yourself described in the pages of Dr. Sarno's book and believe that his theory may be correct, and feel that you have nothing to lose by believing in it and really trying to do the work, then you can get better even if you have some lingering doubt. You just need to dismiss that doubt enough to allow the treatment to work.
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First posting... could I have TMS??
