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pericakralj
77 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2011 : 17:42:32
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Don't want to go in details.
I have been good for a long period and then in middle of stressful period i got a relapse once again.
Then i were saying that i am not sick and that i know that i got only TMS because i don't have these and that kind off symptoms. But as i were saying i don't have that particular symptom, i would get it later that day or tomorrow. And that happened for 3 symptoms in short period off time. And these are the symptoms that i feared the most.
Just want to ask did anybody had similar experience???
And one more question.
Can it be that all that talk with my self about proofs why is something TMS and why it is not some kind of disease, is just another thing that has been serving as a distraction for me. I think about getting enough proofs that i am healthy and i the meantime don't think about what am i felling right now and don't ignore the whole thing???
Can i call that another equivalent and is that wrong kind of thinking???
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Edited by - pericakralj on 11/11/2011 18:13:23 |
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pan
United Kingdom
173 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2011 : 04:18:05
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I do believe that health anxiety is a self serving disorder and it will do everything to survive. I suppose it is similar to the symptom imperative that Sarno talks about in that when I had health anxiety once I had 'boxed off' one symptom as benign and managable another more 'serious' one would pop up to replace it. I don't think there are many health anxiety sufferers who have not symptom shifted.
It is such a grey area as when you are so fixated on your body it is truly remarkable what symptoms can be generated from a mind based causality and in no time at all you are in the free fall of not grasping what is genuine (anxiety symptoms whilst originating from the mind result in physical symptoms) and and what is purely your mind just messing with you due to the level of preoccupation.
In relation to the second part of your question. I'm unsure if I ever had TMS and I'm sure some people would argue I did by definition but I know for sure I had physical symptoms caused by anxiety and this then turned into full blown health anxiety. I have to say that health anxiety was certaintly a distraction for me as it took over my life and the paradox was that even though I hated it with all my passion (I nearly jumped out of a moving car on a motorway in frustration once) on another level I grasped onto it and let it become the best hobby I ever had and it defined me totally...I hate to say it but forums really do contribute to this unless you use them correctly.
There is an old parable about the monkey with his hand in the jar. The basic truth of all addictive behaviours and why we hold them close is contained within that.
Wake me up with your amphetamine blast Take me by the collar and throw me out into the world Rock me gently & send me dreaming of something tender I was brought here to pay homage to the beat surrender
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2011 : 08:44:44
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Hi Pericakralj,
I feel a misconception in TMS thinking is that one is "cured" of TMS. Dr. Sarno states TMS is part of the "human condition" and unless you can remove and isolate yourself from interactions with others, stressful life events will find us and may result in TMS symptoms.
New TMS symptoms tell you it's time to look at what is going on emotionally in one's life that are causing the TMS reservoir to overflow causing psychogenic or affective psychosomatic symptoms. Look at the Rahe-Holmes list for possible dis-ease creating situations. Having TMS knowledge will help alleviate TMS twinges and symptoms caused by the gremlin quicker but will not guarantee we will never get them.
Good Luck!
==================================================
TAKE THE HOLMES-RAHE STRESS TEST http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale
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Edited by - tennis tom on 11/12/2011 08:46:06 |
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eautmb
France
23 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 09:47:45
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quote: Originally posted by pericakralj Then i were saying that i am not sick and that i know that i got only TMS because i don't have these and that kind off symptoms. But as i were saying i don't have that particular symptom, i would get it later that day or tomorrow. And that happened for 3 symptoms in short period off time. And these are the symptoms that i feared the most.
Just want to ask did anybody had similar experience???
That has happened to me time and time again. I used to call in symptoms by thinking about them, I still do. But since I learned about TMS, when that happens I try to use it to my advantage thinking that the new developed symptom is proof that I have TMS since I developed it after thinking about it. |
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pericakralj
77 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 17:51:14
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Exactly, me too try to convince my self that that must be the proof it is TMS. It can be that all of it is such a big coincidence. To get the symptoms that you think about the next day. If that was truly some real disease the symptoms would come no matter what you think and regardless of time.
But still i get afraid sometimes, and i don't know how to get over that. It is really hard sometimes.
Glad that someone is shared same experience though :)
Thanx for replay all. |
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eautmb
France
23 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2011 : 03:57:27
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quote: Originally posted by pericakralj If that was truly some real disease the symptoms would come no matter what you think and regardless of time.
Absolutely right, and as right and logical that may sound when we're being rational, we continue to fear. And in fact it's the fear that perpetuates the symptoms. I'm using Claire Weekes books and ACT books (The happiness trap and Get out of your mind and into your life) to help me overcome my fear. |
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pericakralj
77 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2011 : 04:06:40
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quote: Originally posted by eautmb Absolutely right, and as right and logical that may sound when we're being rational, we continue to fear.
Funny as it sound it is like that. We keep fearing something that is totally irrational. I would like hillbilly or balto to help us out with some advice a bit cause i think they had some similar expireince. :) |
Edited by - pericakralj on 11/14/2011 04:07:25 |
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balto
839 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2011 : 21:24:28
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I really believed in the old saying: "you become what you think about all day long". You've had tms/anxiety symptoms before. And now when you're under stress and "worry" that you may have this and that symptoms, that thought is the trigger telling your body to tense up some parts of your body or to produce a certain type and amount of stress chemical into your blood stream... creating the symptoms just as you fear it. These body actions are all automatic and happened without any control by you. Just like when you're hungry and think about food, your mouth salivated automaticly. Thoughts are the force that turn on the switches in our brain, telling it to produce this chemical, that chemical, pull this muscle, this and that...
The good news is althought we can not control our body's reaction to our thoughts but we do have the power to choose what we think about all day long. You put trash in, you will get trash out. We have a choice here. We need to take control of our thought, don't let our anxiety tell us how to think. Pick the correct thought, Pick the right one then be happy all day long.
I also think health anxiety, hypochondria, is just a habit, a bad habit, an addiction. Just like gambling, hoarding, shopaholic... At first, due to boredom, loneliness, or confusion, fear... we made a bad choice, we thought we're taking some actions to help our health, but then our behavior (search the net, googling, yahoo, webMD, reading health books, visiting doctors...) became an addiction after we too focusing on searching for a solution to our health problems for a few weeks.
Just like any addiction, it can be "cure". First, we need to recognize that we do have a problem and it is hypochondria. You're be amaze at how many addicts refused to admit they are addicted to something. We need to admit that we have an addictic unhealthy behavior and we need to stop it.
Second, do your best to remove all the tools and means to your addiction. What is a gambler without a casino, a shopaholic with no shopping mall, a hypochondriac with no internet? Hypochodria don't exist in buhtan. Most of the population there don't have internet service and even if they do they can't read English and won't be expose to all the health advice sites. So, stay away from the internet, don't watch TV (to elliminate your chance of seeing all the drug related commercials). Don't read any health advice books. If you can do this for more than 3 weeks, you have a 99% chance of ridding yourself of health anxiety.
Third, fill your day with some healthy habits, with positive activities to fill that void you've created when you stopped your addictive behavior. Keep busy, and nothing better than spending more time with some real humans.
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eautmb
France
23 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2011 : 07:32:04
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quote: Originally posted by balto
The good news is althought we can not control our body's reaction to our thoughts but we do have the power to choose what we think about all day long. ... I also think health anxiety, hypochondria, is just a habit, a bad habit, an addiction. Just like gambling, hoarding, shopaholic... At first, due to boredom, loneliness, or confusion, fear... we made a bad choice, we thought we're taking some actions to help our health, but then our behavior (search the net, googling, yahoo, webMD, reading health books, visiting doctors...) became an addiction after we too focusing on searching for a solution to our health problems for a few weeks.
Just like any addiction, it can be "cure". First, we need to recognize that we do have a problem and it is hypochondria. You're be amaze at how many addicts refused to admit they are addicted to something. We need to admit that we have an addictic unhealthy behavior and we need to stop it.
Second, do your best to remove all the tools and means to your addiction. What is a gambler without a casino, a shopaholic with no shopping mall, a hypochondriac with no internet? Hypochodria don't exist in buhtan. Most of the population there don't have internet service and even if they do they can't read English and won't be expose to all the health advice sites. So, stay away from the internet, don't watch TV (to elliminate your chance of seeing all the drug related commercials). Don't read any health advice books. If you can do this for more than 3 weeks, you have a 99% chance of ridding yourself of health anxiety.
Third, fill your day with some healthy habits, with positive activities to fill that void you've created when you stopped your addictive behavior. Keep busy, and nothing better than spending more time with some real humans.
I've got a a couple of comments/questions. Can we really control or choose what we think? I don't think we have so much control. Thoughts keep coming to my head whether I like it or not. I think the key is not to be sucked in by your internal dialogue. You can't stop it or control it, but you can let it be without buying into it.
The second one is about hypochondria being about addiction. I've read that in this forum before. I'd rather say that hypochondria is about control. I have the least addictive personality you can imagine but on the other hand I'm a control freak. And I think that there's an element of control in hypochondria. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2011 : 08:14:31
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[/quote]
Eautmb: Can we really control or choose what we think? I don't think we have so much control. Thoughts keep coming to my head whether I like it or not. I think the key is not to be sucked in by your internal dialogue. You can't stop it or control it, but you can let it be without buying into it.
[/quote]
Yes, much of our thinking and actions are dictated by the sum total of our psychological pasts, our basic character. But, how we FEEL about life can be modified. We can view the cup as half full instead of half empty.
When I get up and my butt is sore from arthrits, I know after a few moments of moving my hip joint, it will "un-freeze" and thaw-out. If I listened to the docs and the snake-oil salesmen, I'd still be on my ass or hi-tailing it to Walgreeen's for some Tommie Copper, underpants. |
Edited by - tennis tom on 11/16/2011 08:24:23 |
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balto
839 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2011 : 15:32:11
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quote: Originally posted by eautmb I've got a a couple of comments/questions. Can we really control or choose what we think? I don't think we have so much control. Thoughts keep coming to my head whether I like it or not. I think the key is not to be sucked in by your internal dialogue. You can't stop it or control it, but you can let it be without buying into it.
The second one is about hypochondria being about addiction. I've read that in this forum before. I'd rather say that hypochondria is about control. I have the least addictive personality you can imagine but on the other hand I'm a control freak. And I think that there's an element of control in hypochondria.
Sometime when we're in pain or under panic attack, our thought seem to race here and there and everywhere. Confused, worried, and in constant fear we just want to survive and it feel like we're not in control of our thought. And when we suffered for so long without seeing any hope, without finding any solution, negative thinking became a habit, it became automatic. It is hard to break that chain of negative thoughts but we have to do it. We have to liberate our mind and take over control of our thinking and how we react to our situation.
You decide what to eat for dinner today right. You decide what to wear to work, what doctor to visit, what forum post to read, to believe in... right? You do have control of your thinking.
Now we have to learn how to take back control of our thought. How to make the right choice, how to react in the most beneficial way to things that happen to us. Master your mind, master your thought and you will be free of pain.
Your thoughts is very powerful, it can produce all kind of pain symptoms we all know about, but It can also free you from many kind of pains, even pains from organic causes. Many world class athletics are so equally competitive, the different between them, what set the loser and the champ apart, are their mental attitude, their belief in themselve. What happen to America if Columbus decide to turn around? All of Europe would speak German if Winston Churchill decide to surrender. The "barbaric" Mongo army was 100 times smaller than the Chinese army and yet they conquered China and most of Asia and Eurasia. What would Eastern Europe still be if Reagan don't say: "tear down the wall!"... All these historical events originated from some guys' mind, from some thoughts right? Those thoughts don't just popped into their mind.
"Face your fear and the death of fear is certain". We have the power to choose. We have the power to take back our mind, our health. We have the power to be free. Just quit your fear.
About hypochondria being an addiction. If you don't agree then let do an experiment. Let go for 2 weeks, just 2 weeks of no internet surfing, no TV watching, no reading any health books, go out and spend time with your friends, your love ones and see if you would be "cure" of hypochondria or not. Make your choice. Try it and see for yourself. Health Information overload to an ill person that's what it is. Too many available informations, too many WebMD.com too many drug commercials on TV, too many drug ads in newsprints...
What would a gambler do without a casino? What would an alchoholic become if he/she live in Saudi Arabia? What would a shopaholic become without a mall or just lost his or her job?
(sorry for another long broken English post) |
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