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seimon_23
United Kingdom
17 Posts |
 Posted - 03/23/2008 : 16:13:11
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Hello everybody,
I'm having a really hard time maintaining focus on the Sarno technique. Partly, this is my own fault because I'm lazy and easily distracted but, its also down to my frustration with all the damn journal writing.
I've been filling pages with my thoughts and feelings, trying to locate that elusive repressed rage which is causing all the trouble but I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere.
I know I have skeletons in my closet and personal demons but, I'm pretty familiar with all of them. A lot of other people on this program seem to have had a cathartic revelation and noticed immediate results but I don't think that's going to be the case with me. I haven't cried, or got angry, or shocked myself that I felt a certain way. It feels like I'm going round in circles.
Perhaps I'm being a little impatient but, I just want to start getting better now. Because I don't feel that I'm making any progress, my resolve is weakening - I went back to see my physio. That didn't really do any good, I actually felt a little more sore the next day. The belief that this is a physiological problem is a hard one to shake off.
All this digging around in my psyche just makes me feel like **** every day and I have enough problems with depression as it is. I'm worried that I've chosen this therapeutic technique because of my desire for a quick fix and that, deep down, I still beleive in a physiological explanation.
I'm seriously considering seeking out professional psychiatric help as I don't think I have the tools / discipline to get to the root of my pain on my own. Any feedback on this route of treatment would be appreciated as would any other words of encouragement. |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 03/24/2008 : 16:25:23
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Finding out what specific emotions/experiences are 'causing' the pain is not the goal of journaling. The goal is to make yourself aware of the kinds of pressures and anger you are or might be feeling, to vent at some length on them if need be, and to prove to your brain that trying physical pain can't distract you from these things.
If you are driving yourself in circles you have replaced obsession with pain with obsession with journaling and it doesn't really work that way.
quote:
The belief that this is a physiological problem is a hard one to shake off.
If you don't shake this belief it is unlikely you'll get anywhere. Try to focus on strengthening your belief in the concepts of the theory and applying them to yourself, and getting back to more normal activity for a while to the extent you can (ie challenge yourself, within whatever limits you have). Limit the journaling to a brief daily thing, and see how that works. The goal after all is for you to get better, not for you to have a miraculous psychological breakthrough.
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It's not 100% belief that's required, but 100% commitment. |
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jdshetterly
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2008 : 11:26:24
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| Buy Sarno's DVD if you can. It's a well-spent $100 and will give you confidence by hearing other people's cases. Also, which books have you read? I found that reading HBP and The Mindbody Prescription, and re-reading were helpful. Journaling has really helped me. Remember you don't fundamentally have to change, but just bring some of the unconscious **** to the conscious so it isn't quite as threatening. The more repetition and time you look at it during your 20-60 min a day, the better you'll get. It will work. I have loads of **** happening and I've overcome 85-95% of my pain with a ruptured disc in my back. |
Edited by - jdshetterly on 04/20/2008 18:23:43 |
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seimon_23
United Kingdom
17 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2008 : 12:22:27
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| Many thanks for the helpful words guys. A major contributing factor to my lack of discipline and impatience is the fact that I haven't been severly incapacitated by the TMS manifesting in my hands & arms. I've been aware of it for about a year now and, despite my worst fears, it hasn't ended my career. I've managed (with the help of my employer and adapting my work routine) to keep doing my job and what pain I do experience fades fairly quickly if I stop using a computer. Although my approach to the Sarno technique has, so far, been somewhat haphazard; I have noticed a moderate improvement in my symptoms which gives me hope. My TMS has been reduced to a 'serious nuisance' level rather than a major problem. And, strangely, that's part of the problem. Pain is a serious motivator! And now that that's subsided, its hard to keep focussed on getting fully cured. As they say, 'the last mile is always the hardest'. I'm reading MBP and The Divided Mind but would be interested in getting hold of the DVD as well - not sure how easy this is going to be as I'm based in the UK. Hearing how people with much more serious problems than me have made a full recovery helps keep me going with the program. |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2008 : 14:10:54
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quote:
I haven't been severly incapacitated by the TMS manifesting in my hands & arms. I've been aware of it for about a year now and, despite my worst fears, it hasn't ended my career. I've managed (with the help of my employer and adapting my work routine) to keep doing my job
I would recommend that you gradually cease whatever adaptations you have made at work. Perpetuating them perpetuates your belief that you need a modified work environment, and may be interfering with your progress. Furthermore, you need to stop fearing. TMS will not end your career -- and if it is manifesting as RSI, as it seems you are describing, I can say with high confidence that "RSI" as a physical problem is nonsense so forget your fears and your thought the problem might be physical completely.
I don't know if you have read my success story, or HilaryN's, or Nate's (http://conquerrsi.com/) or Rachel's (http://podolsky.everybody.org/rsi/) but if not, you should, and you'll see that there's no need for you to keep suffering even a moderate level of pain and interference with your life!
I had great success with Fred Amir's book for banishing the effect of conditioning at work. It sounds like this is where you are since the pain does go away when you are not at a computer -- you are at the stage where you are more or less well but the computer = pain conditioning still plagues you. You might check his suggestions out, or look for past posts on the board about defying conditioning.
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It's not 100% belief that's required, but 100% commitment. |
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Having a hard time keeping focussed
