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Peregrinus
250 Posts |
 Posted - 03/02/2014 : 18:15:33
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Sarno realized that many of his patients suffered from psychogenic pain and that merely informing them of that fact often caused the pain to disappear. He subsequently realized that many of those who could not be helped in this way could gain relief by identifying the source(s) of their pain-causing psychological stress. Again, this improved treatment approach was not always successful. Others, including some participants in this forum, revealed that the pain-causing stress is often an acquired response to certain stimuli that are subconsciously associated with past situations or events, and that only by a repetitive process of psychological “reprogramming” can these unwanted behavior patterns be eradicated. However even with this reprogramming, it appears that many who have succeeded in becoming pain free will suffer relapses (in which the pain often “moves” to other parts of the body). The result is that some of us find ourselves in an endless battle with TMS: a battle in which we must periodically endure episodes of pain. In fact some participants in this forum have theorized that TMS is a chronic incurable condition.
The point I wish to make here is that we are motivated by our pain and suffering. We make efforts to be rational and analytical only when our backs (or necks or knees) are killing us. Evidently, once we become pain free we forget about TMS and resume the behavior patterns that resulted in the psychological stress that gave rise to our previous bouts of suffering. It is similar to a situation where a homeowner only thinks about fire prevention when flames are engulfing his home.
It would seem preferable to continuously make an effort to avoid stress. This would involve teaching ourselves to detect the presence of stress and to understand the connection between this stress and our daily experience including our thoughts, actions, habits, and reactions to external stimuli. We would then have the opportunity to analyze how these experiences cause stress and to avoid the emotional responses they elicit. For example instead of blowing up the next time someone cuts in line in front of us we could wait for a quiet moment to analyze the situation and determine what kind of response a rational person would make. If and when we have a similar experience we can then examine our reaction and determine if our behavior can be further improved.
The concept of continual self examination and analysis in order to acquire virtue is as old as the hills. Indeed, confession and absolution of sin, psychoanalysis, mindfulness, and even meditation are manifestations of this practice. Self examination has application to all aspects of our life beyond stress management. For example it can benefit us in the way we conduct our work or practice our craft, in the way we interact with others, and in the way we reach decisions. Fully embracing this concept thereby makes it our “way of living”.
I recommend the exercises described in http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/stoicismtoday/stoic-week-2013/ as a way of developing a routine for self examination and analysis. Best of luck!
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sarah430
37 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2014 : 13:51:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Peregrinus
The point I wish to make here is that we are motivated by our pain and suffering. We make efforts to be rational and analytical only when our backs (or necks or knees) are killing us. Evidently, once we become pain free we forget about TMS and resume the behavior patterns that resulted in the psychological stress that gave rise to our previous bouts of suffering. It is similar to a situation where a homeowner only thinks about fire prevention when flames are engulfing his home.
Yep, this is me to a T! Thank you for the link and the opportunity to address this issue better. |
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The Next Step
