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maldon
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
 Posted - 03/09/2011 : 08:59:00
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Hi to all. I'm new to the forum and new to accepting I am a TMS person. Last year I moved to London from Scotland (small-time country boy, big city, new life = big anxiety) and after experiencing the most frightening and painful episode of sciatica in a long history of agonising back spasms and the usual unsuccessful treatments I found myself on Monte Hueftle's website which led me to Sarno. I embraced the TMS concept and until a few days ago believed I'd finally cracked my lower back pain. I'm 48 and was actually looking forward to trying Lindy Hop dancing this week!! I'd been 6 months with just a few minor niggles that quickly faded when I thought emotionally and for the first time in a long while felt like my old active self. But after a stressful weekend with some quite angry feelings I had a painful spasm which I was only part able to control by thinking psychological. It was in a very public place and I had no easy way of getting home so I did panic a bit. However it hasn't been much of a setback as it has only reinforced my acceptance that I truly have TMS. Fear of experiencing that pain is still my biggest hurdle and I do find it difficult not to baby my back. Still, I only needed one day of bedrest and a couple days off uni (where I am studying guitar and violin making)before getting up and about which is in itself a huge improvement as in the past I would often need a week or more to recover.
Do all of you journal? I'm not sure I'm ready to commit all my issues, sins, gripes and hurt to paper. At the same time I found Sarno I found Eckhart Tolle and the idea of leaving the past in the past and focussing on the now really appeals to me. Also Monte Hueftle rejects the idea of trying to dig out long repressed emotions. But this recent pain episode has got me willing to reconsider journaling if it has really helped other TMS-types to get a full life back.
Your thoughts would be very much appreciated. |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 09:16:21
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Hey maldon,
You're definitely in the right place. Most recommend journaling, but it's open for debate in my opinion. See the thread entitled "fear" for a discussion of related matters...
Of course, leaving the past where it belongs is wise, healthy, and helpful for TMS...
Best,
A. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 09:31:51
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Welcome, it sounds like you have a good handle and a level head on this TMS stuff. It's a misconception that one needs to dig deep into their past to find that psychological "ah-ha" moment that created "THE TMS".
TMS is part of the "human condition" and not something that one is going to be "cured" of. When life presents stress creating circumstances, we may suffer from TMS induced pain as a defense mechanism--a protector from the emotional pain.
When you feel the pain, stop and ask yourself what is going on emotionally in your life NOW! What stressful situation, presently, is your subconscious repressing and distracting you with?
For guidance as to what these stressful life situations may be, look below at the Rahe-Holmes link listing them, and pick the situations you are in the midst of. This should clarify how the TMS psychological mechanism works. Some folks over-think this stuff and make it harder then it needs to be.
Dr. Sarno only recommends longterm psychotherapy for a minority with deeply seated psychological damage. When I had a few sessions with Dr. Donald Dubin, he said he never had to do more than a dozen or so therapy sessions, to wrap a patient's head around the TMS concept.
You sound like you've got your head screwed on pretty tight and just need some more time to practice TMS thinking until you incorporate it on a cellular level. Good luck and take a look at the Rahe-Holmes list to discover your current pain triggers and don't sweat the past so much.
Cheers
p.s. On journaling, I don't. I feel I'm introspective enough but maybe it would help, some do, some don't.
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Edited by - tennis tom on 03/09/2011 16:26:14 |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
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wrldtrv
666 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 20:12:16
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TMS aside, deep journaling is actually one of the techniques recommended in various recent psych literature to deal with depr/anxiety, etc. It is especially good for people who have nobody they can really confide in. That said, I have journaled off/on for decades with mixed results. Sometimes I feel I have gained insight and feel better; other times, I feel I have just dug the hole deeper.
There are books that mention journaling, eg, "The How of Happiness" and others, but you could simply give it a try and see if it helps. |
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maldon
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2011 : 02:06:11
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Thanks for the suggestions, advice and info and also to the forum in general for allowing me to sound off. I've been looking around, reading people's experiences with TMS and feel grateful that I'm not alone and that there's definitely light at the end of the tunnel and more importantly I can actually see that light now. For a long time I felt truly spineless due to this condition. I now realise my own shyness, self-consciousness and fear of looking bad has really stifled my life and is to a great extent the underlying cause of my TMS. In private with people I love and who love me the guards come down and I'm actually quite good company. Since discovering Sarno & Tolle and a new way of looking at life I feel more ready to face the world, accept who I am and start living again. It sounds dramatic but it feels like a rebirth and as I approach 50 that's a big gift. I'm a very lapsed Catholic and not a believer but there's maybe something to be said for confession so in the absence of a priest I'm going to give the journaling thing a go - it can't hurt 
Thanks again |
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HilaryN
United Kingdom
879 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 14:57:26
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Hi maldon,
Welcome to the forum and to London! I used to love Lindy hopping - haven't danced it in ages, though. Not enough time to do all the types of dancing available in London! I'm doing more kizomba / salsa / lambada now when I get the time.
Here's a wiki page on journalling:
http://tmswiki.wetpaint.com/page/How+do+I+journal%3F
There's also a London TMS Support group.
I haven't sorted out the next date yet but hope to soon - it should be around the end of March. Send me an email if you're interested.
Hilary N |
Edited by - HilaryN on 03/14/2011 14:18:48 |
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maldon
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2011 : 16:04:18
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Thanks very much Hilary. Let me know where and when and I'll try and get along.
best wishes
M |
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Just saying hello
