| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Darko
Australia
387 Posts |
 Posted - 03/25/2010 : 23:03:37
|
I was sniffing around the forum like I usually do and saw one of Dave's replies which was very interesting. He spoke about growing his business and inner child. Dave how did you deal with this situation, what tools did you use? It's funny, I've had TMS symptoms on and off since I was 21.....well actually before that. I'm now 33 and still learning more about it every day. Oh and thanks for the forum Dave.....I can't describe the contribution it has made to me, but suffice to say it's helped provide much needed light! I'm now fortunate to be on my 3rd pain onset and it truly is a wonderful experience. ( I am Aussie.....therefore I do sarcasm ) Sarno worked like a treat first time around and I became a devout "Sarnoist" However the knowledge aint doing squat for me now.
I KNOW it's repression, but that's not helping me. Anyway how should I deal with all the things going on in my life which are causing me pain? I am now certain that my daily thoughts are the cause of my pain, as I can't seem to get any consistent results with releasing, writing etc. I have recently noticed that I have been very busy and stressed and as a result my poor body is really getting smashed. Whenever I become present and observe my body I notice my muscles are tense and uptight. My flexibility is right out the window, bending over to touch my toes is akin to bending glass. So I'm very very sore. What are some of tools I can use to "connect" with my emotions? Asking myself how I feel about things seems pointless cause I just don't know.....there's nothing much there. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to think I'm normal.....if there is such a thing, I laugh at funny things like people failing over and my girlfriend can be annoying and makes me mad.......standard stuff yes? So my thoughts are the problem.......ok so I can't seem to stop the thoughts from happening, so I should observe them and be allowing.
So I should observe my thoughts about what's happening which is causing me to feel stressed and observe that......doesn't that mean I AM stressed? No no ok ok ok wait ( said like Joe Pesci in Lethal Weapon ), if I observe my thoughts and notice they're naughty and going to cause pain them I should change them, but then I'm not being accepting......ok ok ok. So when I have the thoughts I should observe them and not buy into them.......great so now I'm supposed to ignore my own thoughts if they're not helpful and be present, this means I'll be pain free right? Ignoring my thoughts will still cause some sort of subconscious feeling i would think.....which seems to be the very reason I have pain to begin with.
To be present I have to focus on my body or breath and not my thoughts, but I must not focus on the pain which is also in my body as that's not "think psychological".....in order to do that I must focus on how I think or feel??? Either of which I'm supposed to ignore/allow/not have/change/not buy into.....pretty simple really! The only time I can truly say I enjoy life is when I ride my dirtbike, because I can't think about anything but what I'm doing or I'll crash, but I still have pain that night. Is this being present as my mind in 100% engaged in an outside activity and I'm not observing in any way??? Sometimes you have to be completely engaged in order to focus on your activity or is this wrong?? I'm totally confused, I feel stupid and I'm still in pain.....awesome! At this point hardcore drug and alcohol abuse seems the way forward, cause I really think this sucks. Look I know other people get a bad deal in life so I shouldn't complain........but I'm not having much fun here. I've battled with this for most of my life and am at a point where I would prefer to be 6 feet under, at least I could get some sleep :-) Don't worry I'm not that silly....but I'm tired of being over life, it's like not eating for a week and then being given a turd sandwich. There has to be a better way.......anyway, can someone please explain this all to me in a way my mind will get.....cause I feel frustrated and confused. |
|
|
Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2010 : 10:01:32
|
The situation I described that led to various TMS symptoms occurred before I had learned ab out Dr. Sarno. It is in hindsight that I recognize the trigger.
It seems you are overthinking and overanalyzing, which is a common trap. There is no way to truly know what is causing TMS symptoms. All you can do is try to figure it out.
You say "Asking myself how I feel about things seems pointless cause I just don't know." You need to understand that how you feel consciously is completely different from what emotions you might be repressing. In fact it is common for TMS prone people to not be able to find anything. It is the things you cannot feel that are causing the symptoms.
The most important thing is to recondition your thoughts and reactions to the pain. Try to ignore it as best you can. When you are aware of it, think about what might be bothering you inside. Focus on things that are difficult, uncomfortable, embarassing, frightening to accept. Be 100% honest with yourself. Try to accept how you are really feeling inside. It is not easy. It sometimes requires you to accept things about yourself that you don't want to admit. We all have these "forbidden" feelings inside us. TMS serves to prevent us from feeling them.
You seem to be searching for a magic bullet. There is none. Accept the pain, accept the anxiety. Consider them as a benign symptom of repressed emotions. Don't let the symptoms control you. Ignore them as best you can and live your life. |
 |
|
|
Darko
Australia
387 Posts |
Posted - 03/29/2010 : 16:48:23
|
| Dave thanks for the advice. |
|
|
|
joan
34 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2010 : 09:50:53
|
| Dave If you dont know what is the underlying issue..why does sarno suggest psychotherapy Joan |
|
|
|
Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2010 : 15:01:26
|
quote:
Originally posted by joan
Dave If you dont know what is the underlying issue..why does sarno suggest psychotherapy Joan
As Dr. Sarno explains, there is not one underlying emotional issue that is the root of TMS symptoms. There is a "pool of rage" that threatens to become conscious, and this is what the TMS symptoms are designed to distract us from.
In other words, there is simply no way to discover "the" cause of TMS. It's not as simple as saying something like "I hate my job, so this must be why I am in pain." There may be a number of psychological factors that contribute to the rage. Everyone is different.
Psychotherapy is prescribed to help us dig up the potential sources of rage. By learning about ourselves and focusing on repressed emotions our brain does not want us to feel, we thwart the TMS strategy and relieve the symptoms. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
The Madness Syndrome
