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Caroline
USA
55 Posts |
 Posted - 03/10/2005 : 15:12:58
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Hi Everybody,
I found this forum while searching for information about John Sarno. I read two of his books and think that I am somewhat of a textbook case of TMS. I have suffered various ailments every since I was a child: unexplained stomach pain, asthma, back pain, IBS, etc. Somehow the pain would always disappear eventually and I would do fine for months. In the past 2 years I have had almost permanent symptoms: headaches, dizziness, and neck pain for the most part. I am 45 years old and all hell seems to be breaking loose. Aside from low thyroid (whihc is being treated), no doctor has found anything serious (except so-called degenerative discs of course) and i am now willing to believe it is pshychogenic.
I had a domineering, anxious mother with a borderline personality disorder. I have always been an anxious and temperamental person but lately I have become downright impossible. Dr. Sarno's books talks about repressed feelings but I have been racking my brain to understand what could be behind my symptoms that I have not already figured out. Does anyone else on this site have a problem with this concept of repressed feelings? I often see a direct relationship between my symptoms and some frustrating experience. Nothing repressed about those feelings. Am I missing anything?
Thanks for any input on this,
Caroline |
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menvert
Australia
133 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2005 : 15:45:27
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hi and welcomw,
quote:
I often see a direct relationship between my symptoms and some frustrating experience
Lately I have been focusing on the importance of realising that it is the UNCONCIOUS that is important here... unconscious means you Don't know about it cant see it etc. its hidden hehe so if you can see a direct relationship to some experience then that is CONCIOUS. Although it may be beneficial (or even allude to unconcious issues) to work on conscious relationships it is not considered the bulk of the cause.
You don't necessarily need to know exactly WHAT it is in your unconscious causing you issues but when you have pain, you need to focus on trying to explore the unconscious, as opposed to thinking about the pain. Thus showing your brain that you no longer think of it is physical. I don't think you necessarily need to 'get anywhere' with regards to exploring or understanding your unconscious. I believe it is more the act of attempting to explore unconscious than the content.
But when trying to explore the unconscious . it's hard to do it in any direct way, so you more or less have to invent stuff, makeup feelings of rage, guess at issues. when you're trying to think about the rage etc. most commonly what causes you unconscious rage is something you would least expect, or something you think you have no issues with. (Because at some stage it's all been pushed into the unconscious, so you won't think about it)
The purpose of TMS is to stop you thinking about your unconscious rage SO what you're trying to do is to show it that every time you feel pain, you WILL focus on unconscious rage. THUS removing the ability of TMS to serve its purpose. |
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Albert
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2005 : 17:06:06
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Hello:
You might try making a list of all of the things that might have made you angry or troubled you during your life. Since you've been around for about 45 years it would be good to divide your life into stages. This will help insure that you don't miss anything and put things in a period/stage of life format.
As you go through this list on a day to day business, you'll realize that there have been a lot of things that have made you angry and troubled you during your life. It isn't necessary to have a strong emotional reaction for each issue. For some issues it seems to be enough to realize that they are there.
Some troublesome issues that you haven't been aware of might come up. Some of them won't have a lot to do with anger, but nevertheless you'll understand why your mind has chosen to forget about them.
Just go over your list each day. Doing so seems to stir things up.
Sometimes there are issues that hold people back not because they include a horrific memory (such as child abuse), but because they involve a change in outlook that a person might not be willing to make.
The funny thing is that even though a part of your mind wants to hide things from you, once these things start coming into your awareness it is a good thing that they do so. The part of your mind that wants to suppress them tends to underestimate how well you can deal with them. |
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Laura
USA
655 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2005 : 17:54:12
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Caroline,
Welcome! I see you listed dizziness as one of your symptoms. You might want to pull up some of the older dizzy threads. I started one last August (can't remember what it was titled at the moment) and since that time several others have come onboard with the same symptoms. Check it out.
Gina, Hilary, and I all seem to suffer dizzy episodes when we are angry at someone or we blow off steam at someone. It sounds very similar to you. I am 45 years old and my dizziness started in my 40's. Three medical doctors could find nothing wrong with me. I know now it's all TMS. I suggest you go back and read some of the other posts because I think you'll see a connection.
Again, welcome!
Laura
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Caroline
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2005 : 15:09:08
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Taht's really interesting. I read the posts about dizziness and could totally relate to it but believe it or not my dizziness went away about 6 months ago. What took its place was shoulder and neck pain (spasm in trapezius). My doctor convinced me that I have a herniated disc in my neck that causes the spasm. I got many sessions of physical therapy that did not help and finally decided that I was wasting my time with doctors and therapists. Unfortunately, part of me thinks this could be hormonal (sort of corresponds with irregular menstrual cycle) so I guess my mind is not giving up on the physical cause yet. But the dizziness, it's funny: once I realized it was psychogenic and not some brain tumor,it never came back!
So is it that the brain will hang on to new symptoms as long as we resist the psychogenic verdict? But then if it comes up with something new the moment we catch on with this game, how do we ever win? |
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Susie
USA
319 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2005 : 16:03:38
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| Caroline- We really do win because with the understanding of tms, the symptoms dwindle down. The new symptoms become very shortlived because we recognize them for what they are. The symptoms become much milder because we disolve them more rapidly. They become less frightning and are therefore much less threatening. I don't develope new ones, instead my mind is kinda like a lazy Susan.(good pun)I get rid of one and the table turns alittle and serves up a new old one. They are very familiar and very mild. I do,however,have a very large repertoire. I have a new quality of life and I have to admit they really don't bother me that much. They really are, in a way, a little tug at my sleeve that something is bothering me. I address the problem and the symptoms melt away. You do not sound totally convinced of the tms diagnosis as you are contemplating hormonal causes for your pain. I really feel you need to totally believe in The tms diagnosis to get the largest boost for your relief. |
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miehnesor
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2005 : 16:21:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Caroline
I had a domineering, anxious mother with a borderline personality disorder.
Caroline,
This seems to me to be a good place to start. Chances are you've got some repressed rage at your mother simply because this kind of a mother is probably not going to meet your childhood needs. I may be projecting my stuff on you since this was my case. Be patient and try and connect with your childhood feelings and see what comes up. Also be very patient. This stuff takes time. Good luck. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2005 : 16:49:05
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| Excellent post Susie on the lifelong rewards of unederstanding TMS theory. |
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Caroline
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2005 : 11:34:28
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I don't develope new ones, instead my mind is kinda like a lazy Susan.(good pun)I get rid of one and the table turns alittle and serves up a new old one.
I am delighted at the humor in this forum. The lazy Susan image really made me laugh! Thank you for sharing your experience with me. Reading this post and laughing at it, I could feel my current headache disolving! |
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Allan
USA
226 Posts |
Posted - 03/15/2005 : 17:55:14
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Hello Caroline.
I wonder if "repressed rage" is too strong a term. Dr. Sarno refers to "anxiety" as well as "anger" and, I believe, even suggests that anxiety is more of a cause of TMS than anger. I think that my memory is correct but as one ages, who knows?
I suggest that most persons can figure out the cause of the TMS. Start with your relationships in your immediate family.
Allan. |
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