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hairfarm
USA
10 Posts |
 Posted - 07/02/2008 : 16:14:43
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| I am new to this forum, and am currently reading "The Divided Mind" by Sarno. I stumbled upon it by accident.#13;#10;#13;#10;#13;#10;I'm having many symptoms with pain. I am a classic example of anxiety, stress, panic, hypochondria, control, anger etc. I am having trouble sleeping at night without Ambien. This is all fairly recent, within the last two months. I have had every medical test in the book...all negative. I am willing to accept TMS as the cause, but I need someone to help point me in the right direction.#13;#10;#13;#10;I am feeling completely terrified, depressed and in pain for the last few weeks. #13;#10;#13;#10;Can someone please describe Journaling to me. #13;#10;#13;#10;Also:#13;#10;#13;#10;This was in August 2007 http://podcast.wor710.com/wor/384249.mp3#13;#10;#13;#10;I am currently seeing a therapist for major child trauma. I have only seen him three times so far. He's open to the TMS theory.#13;#10;#13;#10;Thanks#13;#10;#13;#10;How do I turn html code on? I had to delete previous posts because the text was garbled together. Sorry for the mistake.#13;#10;#13;#10;Hairfarm |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2008 : 17:58:13
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You can't use HTML on the forum, only Forum Code. Use the buttons on the Format section of the post box to change formats. (Forum code uses [] for formatting instead of <>.)
You should try performing a search on the word "journaling" on the forum to find many excellent past descriptions of what it means to journal. Jim1999 had a good description of it at some point.
You might also find The Mindbody Prescription helpful. There is a good section on journaling in a letter from Jim Campobello in the book. I think there is also a section in The Divided Mind but I haven't read that one as many times so I don't recall. :)
Dr. Schechter, a TMS doc in LA, publishes a 30-day journaling workbook that you can also use if you need some structure.
http://www.amazon.com/MindBody-Workbook-David-Schechter-M-D/dp/1929997051
--
What were you expecting? |
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hairfarm
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 09:48:33
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Weird. I'm on a Mac using OSX 10.4.11. I was using Firefox when I posted my last introductory message. Now I'm using Safari to post this one and it seems to have taken care of my "formatting" problem. Looks like I'll be using Safari to post from now on.
Below is my introductory post that became garbled when using Firefox:
quote:
I am new to this forum, and am currently reading "The Divided Mind" by Sarno. I stumbled upon it by accident.
I'm having many symptoms with pain. I am a classic example of anxiety, stress, panic, hypochondria, control, anger etc. I am having trouble sleeping at night without Ambien. This is all fairly recent, within the last two months. I have had every medical test in the book...all negative. I am willing to accept TMS as the cause, but I need someone to help point me in the right direction.
I am feeling completely terrified, depressed and in pain for the last few weeks.
Can someone please describe Journaling to me.
Also:
This Sarno interview was in August 2007
http://podcast.wor710.com/wor/384249.mp3
I am currently seeing a therapist for major child trauma. I have only seen him three times so far. He's open to the TMS theory.
Thanks
Hairfarm
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mizlorinj
USA
490 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 11:58:46
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Hairfarm, it is about writing out your feelings. First Dr. Sarno says to make a list of things you find bothersome (current, childhood, etc.). Then choose one at a time and write how you FEEL about that topic. I had topics ranging from hitting 40 to my son going to live with his father, mother's death, father always trying to tell me what to do, etc. Current stressors and things you've carried a long time. Anything that a current situation will remind you of from your past (I had an aha yesterday).
I feel angry that . . . sit and feel it. Then see where your pen takes it. Since we are conditioned that anger is a bad feeling, it may take awhile to stir it up. But it can be done.
Sad? Afraid? Guilty? Am I being reasonable? This is painful because. . . And I always end with a positive take. There is always something to be learned. Example: My horrible back pain in 2006/7 put me on the journey to self-healing, an awareness of my emotions and their connection to physical things. No physical pain scares me--I look for an emotional connection and have always found one. It has been a great journey and I learn more every day.
It doesn't end when your current TMS (I prefer "mind/body condition")episode ends. There will times when you remember a painful/stressful event or something reminding you of a certain incident. I write as these things come to me. I find I do get pain if I put off doing the writing I know I need to do! It is a continuous trek for me. But I have not had the bad back/butt pain come back.
This is what worked for me, aside from the belief that the MRI showed a normal abnormality (large herniated disc at L5S1) and I believed I could heal this myself w/o surgery or drugs. You can read my story on success stories.
Best wishes for healing,
Lori |
Edited by - mizlorinj on 07/03/2008 12:03:01 |
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hairfarm
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 13:30:21
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mizlorinj
Thank you very much for your thoughtful post about journaling. My life has taken so many turns recently:
1) My mother newly diagnosed with terminal breast cancer metastisized into the spine. She was (is!) truly my only link to sanity.
2) My Grandfather's newly diagnosed spine cancer spread from his prostate. We're close as well.
3) A recognition that I had to sacrifice "close" friendships when I became new manager at our company recently. I was spending too much time to trying to endear myself to make them like me.
4) Father in law has late stage Parkinsons disease
5) Childhood trauma of a severe nature
6) Marriage difficulties
7) Chronic worrier, control freak, hypochondriac, critical of others, always trying to be liked, impossible for me to say "NO" to anyone when called upon, etc
8) health issues too numerous to list, but I will nonetheless:
Arm, shoulder, hand pain, tingling, nausea, GERD, IBS, depression, stress, major anxiety, panic attacks, terrible insomnia, fatigue, sense of dread, stopped heavy drinking after 20 years three weeks ago, left occasional eye pain/headache with a twitching lower eye lid. I've had roughly 10 blood tests; RF, Lyme, Antibody etc, three MRI's of ENTIRE spine, one CT scan of cervical spine, physical therapy for two weeks, epidural injection of neck...many trips to the doctors, specialists. I still have no "official" diagnosis, but it has been suggested that it could be fibro-like in nature. I have Googled myself into a horrific frenzy which has NOT been helpful.
All my tests have turned up negative. I was in my backyard the other day, and I mentioned the word fibromyalgia, and a visiting friend immediately got up and went to retrieve a book from his car that he had just purchased that day. It was titled: A Divided Mind. J Sarno. He had only read the introduction, but remembered reading the word Fibromyalgia, so he gave me the book without having read it himself. It was a complete coincidence! I'm now on the last chapter, and I think it may help me.
What I'm doing to get my life back:
I've on my fourth session with a therapist who is open to the idea of TMS and has ben in practice for 35 years. He is of a kind nature seems to push me when needed. He also helps me with the marriage stuff. I'm lucky to have such an amazing wife, but she cannot help me with this.
Exercising and swimming- It's about time - hell, I've only been paying 24 Hour Fitness for three years now and not going. This helps with the fatigue and muscle pain.
Meditation - for sleep and anxiety. Still need the Ambien to sleep though. In many ways, the most discouraging symptom is my lack of sleep. It makes me feel as if I am a bar of soap that becomes thinner each day.
Sleep therapy relaxation CD's - Haven't had a chance to try them out yet.
It's bizarre to see all of my symptoms above written out so plainly. I've never written them down before until now. God, I can't believe how dysfunctional I've become. I used to be relatively "normal".
Journaling was the final thing that I want to develop, but it wasn't really mentioned in the book yet, (Divided Mind), at least not the part that I have read.
Question: does this sound like TMS to anyone?
thanks,
Hairfarm |
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hkp
47 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 13:38:29
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Hi Hairfarm:
I loved your description of insomnia and the bar of soap. I am struggling with the very same thing.
I wanted to share this link to an on-line lecture by Dr. Schubiner - who follows Sarno principles. I have watched this several times and I feel like he's talking to/about me. I'm thinking about taking his on-line course.
http://www.yourpainisreal.com/index.php?Introduction%20Page
All the best to you-
H |
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RageSootheRatio
Canada
430 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 15:36:46
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| Hairfam, check out page 142 in The Divided Mind (paperback version) for the Daily Program .. wow are you lucky you "stumbled across this by accident" !!! |
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Peg
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2008 : 16:29:13
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[quote: Question: does this sound like TMS to anyone?
Sure does. It also sounds like you're on the right track.
[quote: It's bizarre to see all of my symptoms above written out so plainly. I've never written them down before until now. God, I can't believe how dysfunctional I've become. I used to be relatively "normal". ]
You're still "normal". You've had many life stressors in addition to past trauma, just like many of us who experienced years of chronic pain before finding Dr. Sarno's work. You will be successful if you stick with it, and be kind to yourself. Beginning with saying NO occasionally. You don't have to justify or explain. It's your right to say NO.
Sounds like your plan to get your life back is pretty comprehensive. Remember to have some fun too. That's just as important if not more important than all the other work you are doing.
Journaling for me has meant writing anything that makes me angry, sad, guilty.... Writing without censorship, without worrying about how it looked or how it sounded. Being very honest and realizing that everyone has these feelings and thoughts. There is something very therapeutic about putting it down on paper, even if we burn it later. Someone once said to me "putting the poison on paper". I thought that was an apt way to describe journaling.
By the way, Dr. Sarno considers fibromyalgia to be a form of TMS and a physician, Dr. Nancy Selfridge, who recovered from fibro using Sarno's theory wrote a book called, Freedom From Fibromyalgia. That said I prefer Dr. Sarno's books and have found that re-reading helps reduce relapses and symptom imperative. I have been mostly pain free for 8 years after having 10 years of back pain and becoming quite debilitated. So I can attest to the effectiveness of this theory.
Best of Luck
Peg
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei |
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joli
USA
51 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2008 : 16:32:41
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Just write about your day, your dreams, your fears, what yu are upst about , who with, don't edit it to sound pretty just write.
I think therefore I am. |
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kelvin
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2008 : 01:07:25
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quote:
Originally posted by hairfarm
Journaling was the final thing that I want to develop, but it wasn't really mentioned in the book yet, (Divided Mind), at least not the part that I have read.
You might find "Daily TMS exercise and journaling guide" helpful. Just go to http://www.etex.net/kelving |
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stanfr
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2008 : 04:19:26
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| You have classic TMS, no doubt about it. Once this sinks in I am sure you will find great improvement. i would highly recommend that you read a couple other TMS books such as by Scott Brady and Fred Amir that will give you different perspectives on your condition and how to work through it. |
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hkp
47 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2008 : 11:46:10
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| Excellent site, Kelvin. Thank you! |
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Can someone please describe Journaling to me...
