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wrldtrv
666 Posts |
 Posted - 11/19/2011 : 11:45:31
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After looking at a few posts in the "Success" forum, I thought about what it means to claim success. Does it mean a feeling one has that TMS is on the run? Or that one has conquered a particular symptom? And how long does the symptom have to be absent to consider it conquered?
I see many people on here year after year, myself included, and I wonder how many of us feel we are TMS success stories. At times, I feel I haven't made the tiniest bit of progress and other times, I feel I am on the way. These usually coincide with the current state of my symptoms.
For me, the biggest prize was learning and getting that just because I have a symptom, it doesn't mean there is danger. If I were not a hypochondriac, this knowledge would be much more effective. I can certainly get that my brain is probably causing many of my sypmptoms, but this is a conscious, rational understanding and does little to change the emotional brain that has been hardwired by years of fear to reject. That's why you and I may find that no matter how many self-help books we read that sound so logical, so obviously true, they make hardly a dent. If only it were that easy!
It seems to me that in order to make real and sustained progress one needs a revolution in thinking. Probably won't occur at once, but slowly, through a lot of hard work, moment-by-moment changing where we focus our attention and how we react. A life-long process. I envy those who are lucky enough to get it quickly and move on with their lives. |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2011 : 16:56:34
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YOu're right wrld. It does take a revolution in thinking. The years pass so quickly. Wouldn't it be nice to get back all those hours lost to useless worry?
it would indeed. But what we can do is resolve to make our very best effort at not wasting another minute.
In the end, we're all dead. I like to say that there's no such thing as a happy ending. The more we can fearlessly embrace that difficult truth, the more fearlessly we can live the rest of our lives.
The good news is we can to a very great extent achieve that revolution you so eloquently spoke of. Just make the decision, over and over and over again, to stop worrying. It can be done. Recognize the physical symptoms that accompany those terribly destructive emotions and learn to turn them off. It's literally impossible to feel fear if you don't allow your body to express it. Of course we can't be perfect. Fear will win out occasionally, but only a very temporary basis.
Just to share something, I recently had a cancer scare. Lump in my groin along with a persistent sore throat. Thanks to my TMS work, I never panicked. I had some bad moments of course, but by and large I was able to accept the worst if that came to pass. Mostly, I just felt sad. Turned out to be nothing thankfully. I shudder to think how shattered I'd have been had I not been fortunate enough to have found Sarno... along with you good people.
You're getting there wrld. YOur progress over this last year or so has been impressive. Keep at it. We're all in this together.. |
Edited by - art on 11/21/2011 18:42:03 |
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wrldtrv
666 Posts |
Posted - 11/21/2011 : 20:19:21
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Art, first, I'm very happy to hear you had nothing serious wrong with you! Those symptoms would scare the hell out of anyone and I'm impressed that you didn't panic.
Yes, I'm pretty much resigned that I'm not a Sarno overnight success story (a very difficult patient, as they say). Being a hypochondriac surely does not help. Well, there's nothing I can do about my genetic heritage or my early programming, but I can work with the cards that were dealt me. I just finished reading "Animals in Translation" by Temple Grandin, a pioneering animal science professor, who has made a huge impact on the humanity of slaughter houses all over the world. And of course, she is autistic. The autism, seemingly a great handicap, turned out to be the thing that made her able to see the problems and the solutions in ways normal people couldn't.
In the same way, I'm somewhat handicapped by health anxiety. On the other hand, I am always up for a challenge. I am extremely persistent, creative in my approaches, open-minded, and rarely give up. I have always considered myself a survivor because I have endured things most people would find unbearable. I guess the point is, yes, we are in this for the long haul. In the past week, in just 5-7 days, I have in turn catastrophized about three different body parts, and while engaged with one, the other two were of no significance at all. Amazing the way the brain works. |
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Ace1
USA
1040 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2011 : 19:14:26
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| Dear art, could you please elaborate on your 4th paragraph? Do you mean just eliminating the fear, similar to what balto has done and how did you do this? I like to get input from multiple people. Thanks in advance |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2011 : 10:05:03
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Hi Ace,
It's been pretty clear to me for a few years now that fear is the major stumbling block for many people in their battle with psychosomatic pain. This is a bit off the reservation strictly speaking, as classic TMS theory as espoused by Dr. Sarno holds that subconscious rage is the driving force. So if you're a newcomer be sure to read the books and make up your own mind.
That said, there's lots of support for this view on the forum. And in any case I don't see that these two approaches are at odds with one another in a practical sense.
The good news is fear can be controlled. As I said above, fear cannot persist without the usual accompanying physical sensations. Notice that when you feel fear, the "feeling" is literal, which is to say its in our bodies. I'm sure these sensations are somewhat different for everyone. For me, I perceive fear mostly in my gut. By relaxing my gut and taking long deep breaths, the fear simply evaporates.
This is only 1 technique of course, there are others. BUt such an approach in combination with a growing faith that your symptoms really are benign will be very effective over time. I don't want to sound too reductive. It's going to be an uphill battle without that deep understanding of the true nature of your pain. But it's a useful tool, especially if you're prone to panic attacks. |
Edited by - art on 11/24/2011 10:07:46 |
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How Do You Assess Success?
