OK, whilst it is debatable that conversion disorder and the like are related to TMS there is no denying that repressed emotions and anger are intrinsic to both. As the article shows it is quite startling just how physical our minds and bodies can make the emotional!
What's the difference between conversion syndrome and TMS?
Hilary N
I don't fully understand either. This is my only real issue with Sarno and TMS, nothing is being said that isn't already out there and understood by the medical and psychological experts.
I think it may be a matter of degrees. As the example here shows, conversion disorder is generally pretty extreme and the idea of a psychological aspect to the symptoms just seems totally implausable...what is strange is that the conversion disorder dx is often given because of the nature and severity of the symptoms alongside the inability to find an organic explanation for them.
I think that maybe TMS is a useful concept as it actually highlights that a plethora of complaints that where once considered inevitable, normal or due to ageing, arthritis etc etc can actually encompass a emotional/mental rather than a physical/organic causality. Things that in the past we may have been encouraged to live with or bite the bullet with can now be tackled if we ensure we focus on the correct areas.
I'm certaintly no expert on this subject so I'm sure some more informed people can offer some comments on this. I come at this suffering from physical/health anxiety and all I can say that once I learned about the concept of somatisation (and not specifically TMS) it clicked with me and became just an obvious truth.
Interesting Read From UK Press.
Posted - 05/12/2009 : 03:07:51
