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Neil Sherwood
United Kingdom
14 Posts |
 Posted - 07/20/2008 : 15:57:55
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I was wondering why part of the TMS plan does not recommend that we attempt to work on changing our pain producing personalities and thought patterns that contribute to the pool of rage on a daily basis.
Thinking about emotions and journalling may help us express repressed emotions, but it goes no way in trying to changing our actual destructive personalities and repressing thoughts. It’s not like low-self esteem, fear, feelings of shame, perfectionism and goodist behavior cannot be improved by things such as affirmations, CBT and therapy.
If the whole point of the TMS work is to reduce the inner rage, how is not attempting to change the rage producing thoughts and behaviours not going to help the pain aswell as making us happier people?
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Edited by - Neil Sherwood on 07/20/2008 16:03:57 |
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armchairlinguist
USA
1397 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2008 : 18:41:30
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You have a false assumption in your post, namely that the goal of TMS work is to reduce the inner rage. According to Dr. Sarno it is emphatically NOT. Rather, it is about acknowledging the inner rage and learning how not to allow it to produce troublesome physical symptoms.
Sarno does not focus on the possibility of changing our thinking habits and personality (beyond changing the specific beliefs about TMS) because it is hard to do. He does allow for this in some cases by saying that some people will need therapy to help them overcome their TMS.
You're quite free to change your thinking habits if you want though. I highly recommend it -- it does make life more pleasant.
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What were you expecting? |
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mizlorinj
USA
490 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2008 : 06:59:51
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I just checked my notes, and at the end of Dr. Sarno's lecture, he says we can modify our personality. I have been able to relax my overthinking a lot. As far as perfectionist tendencies, I do still go a little perfectionist, say, vacuuming the pool (every speck must be gone), there are other ways where I can see I have relaxed, which I really appreciate! So there are aspects of our personality that can be modified.
I do agree, Neil, in the power of affirmations and have found them very helpful.
It's a journey and as time goes by I see how taking out emotional trash has helped with things that really used to tick me off. There are things I can talk about w/o getting all mad now so I know I hit the core of what needed to be released. Which is why I think journaling (or other therapy) is so important. I believe doing so is in fact reducing our overflowing beaker (Dr. Sarno draws a beaker overflowing to show why you have TMS) and removing some of the past hurts. Changing our outlook can also reduce everyday annoyances which can build up and cause pain.
Best wishes,
Lori |
Edited by - mizlorinj on 07/21/2008 07:05:02 |
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Changing the way we think
