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Peg
USA
284 Posts |
 Posted - 06/14/2009 : 11:52:48
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Hi--On the tms wiki created by forestfortrees, there is a section called Q&A with an expert. There are over a dozen excellent questions posted by the public and answered by some of the pre-eminent experts in this emerging field. I would encourage you to visit:
http://tmswiki.wetpaint.com/page/Q%26A+with+an+Expert
One recent question, thoughtfully answered by Dr. John Stracks, has been addressed numerous times on this excellent forum as well. I thought I would share the Q&A with all.
This is being done with the permission and encouragement of Dr. Stracks who expressed to me his desire to be more active on this forum as well as the wiki. Unfortunately, at this time his schedule does not allow it, as he will be taking a new position at Northwestern in Chicago, IL.
Question: I keep encountering friends and family whom I’m convinced are exhibiting symptoms that are “classic TMS.” Most of my efforts to explain the subject are generally met with lots of eye-rolling. Is there a “best” way to try and help these people?
Answer: When I first started my medical training, I thought I could simply tell people about TMS and have them say, “Great. Thanks. I feel so much better now.” It only took a couple of eye-rolling incidents for me to figure out that I needed a more nuanced approach.
I think the most important part of what I do when I talk about TMS with a patient who hasn’t heard of the concept before is to normalize the process. I take a lot of time talking about how natural the mind-body process is and how human beings probably evolved to express difficult emotions through our bodies. If I meet more than just a little resistance, I tend to back off and go in a different direction. If people seem interested, then I’ll talk about it more.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not everyone is ready to hear the message of TMS. Classically, there are 5 stages in behavior change:
Precontemplation (“Never heard of TMS”)
Contemplation (“I’ve heard of it, but I don’t think it applies to my “real” pain)
Preparation (“Well, maybe it does apply to me; I wonder what I can do about it.”)
Action (“Wow, that’s me in Dr. Sarno’s book!”)
Maintenance (“Ow! My back hurts. I wonder what I’m angry about.”)
In medical practice, we often think of moving people from one stage to the next, not from stage 1 to stage 5 all at once. Sometimes all you can do initially is introduce the concept. It may take days, weeks, months, or even years before your loved one is ready to pick up a copy of The Mindbody Prescription much less take action. Be patient, even though that patience is extraordinarily difficult.
Finally, keep in mind that, in the end, we can only control ourselves and not anyone else, and I often refer people to the work of Byron Katie (HYPERLINK "http://www.thework.com"http://www.thework.com) for information and practical tips about this. Often times, the best way to convince others about the worth of TMS treatment is by being walking, living, breathing examples of its benefits.
So, while there’s no one “best” technique for talking with friends and family about TMS, these are the things I would keep in mind
Raise the topic gently
Try to normalize the mind-body process
Don’t push if you meet resistance; you can always try again later
Sometimes people aren’t ready to hear the message or are only ready to hear part of the message
Remember that in the end, you can’t control what other people are going to think and believe. You can provide the information, but in the end it’s their own decision what to do with the information.
Hope that helps.
Dr. John Stracks
Take care everyone,
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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Sam908
70 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2009 : 07:18:12
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| It's ironic that three persons who have recommended Dr. Sarno's books to me in the past, and who themselves are experiencing excruciating back pain (two are scheduled for heavy-duty back surgery soon), deny that they might be suffering from TMS. |
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Peg
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2009 : 05:15:47
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Hi Sam908,
Yes ironic, isn't it? Some of the people we share it with seem to understand and believe it affects US, but can't see that they may also be affected.
I agree with Dr. Sarno, when he says that virtually all humans are affected to one degree or another, by mindbody symptoms. It may be as simple as a tension headache or nervous stomach. But as we all know it can also, spiral into much more severe and chronic physical or emotional (affective) symptoms.
We're so lucky to have learned about the key to mindbody health through Dr. Sarno's writings and to be continuing to learn from the younger physicians who have been trained by him. They give me hope when looking at the future of healthcare (although it's going to be a long road and certainly they will need our help).
Best,
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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Dr. Stracks on explaining TMS to friends/family
