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painintheneck
USA
124 Posts |
 Posted - 12/17/2007 : 20:51:04
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Just brainstorming. Sorry if it may have been addressed at any earlier time here, I searched a bit but not thoroughly.
I'm wondering if addicts who quit their drug or action of choice would be more prone to TMS because they have lost their "thing" that helps them stuff emotions and distract them.
I know a man who has quit two powerful addictions, drinking and smoking. He was an alcoholic for 20 years plus. He has severe sciatic pain now. He did do physical labor for work for year but to my knowledge never "injured" his lower back. He can't even walk without leaning heavily to the side. He has been getting steroid shots and will prob be going for surgery this spring. He has had an MRI and it does of course show degenerative changes in the lower spine.I guess I just wonder if there would be hope of it being Emotional related pain and being cured without surgery. The next big issue would be to introduce the subject of TMS and Sarno to him which might be challenging. He's not one to openly express emotion be it positive or negative. Even through the years of heavy drinking he still got to work on time every day and basicly functioned. His pain hit after he'd been retired and not due to any acute injury.
Anyway I wonder if pain is an issue for people more who have quit things of this nature that might have been a big enough distraction.
I'd appreciate any thoughts.
PS I quit smoking earlier this year and wow I had no idea at all how much those things were an emotional crutch! It's absolutely shocking. |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2007 : 22:59:18
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Well, it sounds like you have a good handle on the strong connection between different kinds of distractions. I absolutely agree with you that all kinds of things can be distractions, both conventional addictions and not-so-conventional ones like the internet or reading. Sometimes it's a bit of harmless distraction when we need it, but sometimes it's not so harmless.
I think your suspicions could be right about this man. It would be interesting if he is able to connect with the idea of TMS.
--
It's not 100% belief that's required, but 100% commitment. |
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AnthonEE
USA
80 Posts |
Posted - 12/18/2007 : 08:01:22
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I haven't seen much discussion about addiction as a distraction. It is an interesting idea though, and wonder if I picked up a few addictions maybe my physical pain would go away?  Wouldn't that be great?
So I haven't seen much posted about this topic since I've been a member. But on the other hand I have seen many postings about how to broach the subject of TMS to a friend or family member. That might be a related secondary topic you'd find helpful in this case. |
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HilaryN
United Kingdom
879 Posts |
Posted - 12/18/2007 : 14:42:50
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Yes, it wouldn't surprise me at all. I also know someone who quit smoking then got back pain.
Hilary N |
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electraglideman
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - 12/18/2007 : 15:22:03
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I'm an ex-smoker. I've been quit now for over 20 years and yes it is an emotional crutch. I admire anyone who quits. Its not an easy thing to do.
I believe the best way to introduce someone to TMS is to hand them a book by Sarno and say "hey read this. If you see yourself in this book it may be the answer to your problem." It's been my experience if you try to explain TMS to someone who is having back pain he or she will say "I don't have head problems I have back problems." |
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Wavy Soul
USA
779 Posts |
Posted - 12/21/2007 : 00:23:19
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Yes, I absolutely think they are ALL equivalents. The same symptom imperative applies with addictions - addiction imperative. You give up smoking and want to eat, stop drinking, need coffee, etc.
Hmmm. I mean, what addiction could be worse than my fibro? Well, heroin, I guess, but what about addiction-lite. Any suggestions?
;-)
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
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heart a tact
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2010 : 22:11:30
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this is a really interesting thread so i thought it was worth bumping it up to the front page to hear people's thoughts...
many of my close friends growing up developed drug addictions (myself included), and i have always been of the opinion that an addiction serves to distract us from that which we'd like to repress and 'soothe' that which bothers us.
most of their addictions are more serious than mine, because i am very conscious to moderate my habits... could this be why heroin addiction is their symptom/TMS equivalent, while I limit drug use, avoid hard drugs, and thus develop pain issues?
I have sometimes felt like part of the reason I developed this pain issue was a repressed/unconscious desire for prescription pain killers. it's a scary thought. i often think about a future in which i have banished my pain but retain a relationship with my pain management doctor.
i'm adding this to the list of things to address in my tms work... but the soothing effect of cigarettes, or marijuana, or pain killers is different from the distraction of chronic pain. does anyone have any experience working on this?
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Carole
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2010 : 07:49:16
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Painintheneck,
This is an interesting question.
I’ve been observing an elderly woman for several years now who’s an opiate addict.
She has severe tms and for many years has been rx’d with high doses of narcotics only to have her pain increase steadily. All of her doctors gave her painful symptoms all of the usual names. (neuropathy, trigeminal neuropathy, etc, etc)
The Divided Mind’s index has all of the names as equivalents.
As far as I understand opiate addiction increases pain, so finally her doctor had her check into a psyche ward of a hospital under the care of a pain management, psychiatrist, addiction specialist for detox. During detox using suboxone, her pain subsided, but after detox it returned. She was told she had psychogenic pain, but has not had any talk therapy about it or tms or psychosomatic pain.
Not sure where it will go from here when she’s discharged, but I do find it unfortunate that she’s not being educated about tms, since it would help dramatically.
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heart a tact
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 02/02/2010 : 16:32:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Carole
Painintheneck,
This is an interesting question.
I’ve been observing an elderly woman for several years now who’s an opiate addict.
She has severe tms and for many years has been rx’d with high doses of narcotics only to have her pain increase steadily. All of her doctors gave her painful symptoms all of the usual names. (neuropathy, trigeminal neuropathy, etc, etc)
The Divided Mind’s index has all of the names as equivalents.
As far as I understand opiate addiction increases pain, so finally her doctor had her check into a psyche ward of a hospital under the care of a pain management, psychiatrist, addiction specialist for detox. During detox using suboxone, her pain subsided, but after detox it returned. She was told she had psychogenic pain, but has not had any talk therapy about it or tms or psychosomatic pain.
Not sure where it will go from here when she’s discharged, but I do find it unfortunate that she’s not being educated about tms, since it would help dramatically.
the part about suboxone is interesting to me, because a number of my friends have undergone suboxone therapy, and most have relapsed quickly-- my understanding is that suboxone is really just another opiate, albeit an opiate which makes the use of OTHER opiates worthless. |
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Carole
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2010 : 06:46:05
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[/quote]
the part about suboxone is interesting to me, because a number of my friends have undergone suboxone therapy, and most have relapsed quickly-- my understanding is that suboxone is really just another opiate, albeit an opiate which makes the use of OTHER opiates worthless.
[/quote]
Here's a link that helps understand it and then the second link is an interesting interview. They barely touch on the psychosomatic.
http://www.suboxone.com/patients/opioiddependence/opioids_brain.aspx
http://www.gracermedicalgroup.com/node/102
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Addiction and TMS
