| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
celestica
Canada
38 Posts |
 Posted - 05/20/2005 : 04:19:50
|
The Body Says No - Gabor Mate, a Vancouver physician and mind/body practitioner
scientifically maps out the mind body pain process / neuropeptides and hormones and all that. Gave me insight into how hating my job could cause my body to produce a case of osteo-arthritis of the hand, and the courage to lay the symptoms to rest after changing positions.
The Mindbody Prescription - John Sarno
From Paralysis to Fatige - a History of Psychosomatic Illness in the Modern Era - Dr. Edward Shorter
A fascinating history that dates back to the 1800's and the birth of modern psychoanalysis. Modern chapters on Chronic Fatigue and Fibro. The history part is totally engrossing and provides further evidence for the "normalcy" of somaticization of feelings as well as the efficacy of "thinking psychologically". Also provides some great examples of TMS equivalents that have gone out of fashion, as well as some enduring ones - paralysis, etc.
Freedom from Fibromyalgia - Dr. Nancy Selfridge
The programme she recommends looks very interesting.
Come to Your Senses - Dr. Stanley Block
Ditto.
Full Catastrophe Living - John Kabat Zinn
Next book on my list
Has anybody read these?
Amelia.
|
|
|
Scottydog
United Kingdom
330 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2005 : 08:03:13
|
Amelia,
This looks a really interesting list. It's amazing how little publicity these books and authors get.
Dr Sarno's book is excellent, I've fixed my TMS symptoms but am struggling with the underlying lack of confidence which probably largely contributed to them. Another source of encouragement would be useful.
Reading from Amazon the Gabor Mate book has a final chapter on "‘The Seven A’s of Healing,’ in which Maté presents an open formula for healing and the prevention of illness from hidden stress." Did you find this helpful?
Scottydog
Scottydog |
 |
|
|
art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2005 : 20:38:29
|
Amelia:
Thanks for those...I seem to be making some inroads into my TMS symptoms, but I've also got other issues...Functional hypoglycemia, food sensitivities..chronic and severe headache..These things have made me very ill at times and have taken much from me in every way possible..
I'm an essayist and have written about my illness from the standpoint of the role the mind might play in it, at least tangentially, but I really haven't done much work on the illness itself in that regard...
I'm so very weary of the "alternative" and "holistic" approach..I've come to believe it's mostly just so much malarkey, and yet of course I get no respect from the mainstream medical establishment, so where's a guy to go?
Which book would you say might be the best starting point for me?
Many many thanks,
A. |
|
|
|
celestica
Canada
38 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2005 : 06:31:23
|
Hi Art...
the book I liked the most was the history of paralysis and fatigue. To be honest, once you see the parade of disease fads and hysteria that stretch back for 200 years, it becomes a lot more feasible to include current fads such as "sensitivities" to foods, etc.
I previously suffered from ADD, dairy intolerance, wheat sensitivity, hypoglycemia, mood swings related to diet, tremendous anxiety over food and my physical emotional reaction to it, blah blah blah....
Ask yourself, what do food issues and TMS have in common? They both promote an inordinate amount of focus on the body and it's deficits. They both require lots of study from "experts" like naturopaths, chiros, diet gurus, health food promoters, orthotics salespeople, and other people promoting the "holistic" approach. Malarky is right, junk all the snake oils sales people together.
They both rely on the same internal monologue - my body is defective and betrays me. I am abnormal and sick and cannot trust myself to feel health and stay well. Forget about thriving, feeling good about myself, and enjoying bodily pleasure. I am betrayed by myslef and I need to follow rigid rules to even exist upon this earth without feeling pain or discomfort. For example - avoid running, lifting, enjoying normal meals at restaurants, eating what gives me pleasure, walking without special plastic forms for my feet, dairy exept for fermented products, fruit but only cooked, not raw (you know it ferments in the bowels and produces toxins), etc. etc. etc.
I used to feel the "yeast" growing in my body 30 seconds after drinking whole milk (a naturopath told me that milk feeds yeast) until it occurred to me that there was no way my digestive system could feel it if the milk hadn't yet reached that part of my body. I stopped believing that crap and the next day drank giant lattes with no incident.
I used to have wild mood swings and cravings related to sugar, then made the decision that I was no longer hypoglycemic and would not react. I now make the choice not to eat very much because it is not a healthy food, but have chosen to release my body from the mental hold I had placed on it. Guess what? I no longer react severely to having a sugar treat once in a while. If I do eat too much, esp. on an empty stomach, I don't feel great but that's to be expected from an empty calorie food that is absorbed too quickly into the bloodstream.
I have a theory on how food issues and TMS are connected. They relate both to a worldview based on bodily self esteem, connection with self, and bodily integrity.
When people suffer in childhood from a form of a violation or transgression of boundaries in the form of abuse, they learn that they are not safe from being injured.
Whether the abuse is emotional or physical, it leads to the conclusion that their bodies literally cannot be trusted to protect them. If the abuse is emotional their anxieties and fears can become somaticised because it is legit to have allergies or a sore back but you are seen as weak or even scorned if you suffer from emotional wounds and have difficulty coping with stress because of this.
Through therapy I have discovered that my anxiety translates into a direct pathway of trying to control the situation - telling people what to do, making rules about how things should be, creating structure, etc. I do it with people, and formerly with my diet. Letting go of this is so liberating (but hard!)
Therapy that explores childhood issues has been helpful to me. And believe it or not, Dr. Phil has some great advice...like, yes, your childhood sucked and you have insight into why you do stupid things. It's up to you now to make a choice to stop.
|
|
|
|
art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2005 : 08:44:02
|
Thanks so much Amelia...I'll order some books. I've tried terribly hard along the lines you talk about. In the early phases of my "illness" (We'll put it in quotes because after fifteen years I'm still confused as to its nature..perhaps even more confused than ever), I used to challenge it with all my might, eating a piece of cake or a dish of ice cream or a piece of bread..or whatever..and daring my body not to accept what I was putting into it...
I couldn't believe what was happening to me and I fought it tooth and nail..The thing is, I get so desperately sick when I eat the wrong foods...So toxic feeling and weak and red-eyed that eventually I had to bend to its will, or quite literally I think, die..
I''ve thought a lot about the disease du era thing...I'm sure that so much of what passes for this or that illness in many people is psychosomatic..And yet...And yet. If I were living in the 19th century, what would I have instead? Hysterical blindness maybe? "Neurasthenia?" ..
I had the kind of childhood you describe...I've a sensitive organism and was grievously wounded. I look at my life today, at the age of 54 and on the one hand am filled with sadness and pain that I haven't been able to do more..And yet on the other side of the equation, my life has been full of overcomings and in some respects I've had much success..
It helps mightily to find good and kind people like yourself...people who have suffered and who have overcome..About two years ago I swore off all doctors...I never again want to be told I have "heavy metal poisoning" or "yeast" or "gut dysbiosis" or "exhausted adrenals". I don't ever want to take another quack supplement..
I don't want to waste one more nickel on this stuff..It feels good to be free of it all, but on the other hand, like many of the chronically and mysteriously ill, I'm a man without a country..
|
|
|
|
Baseball65
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2005 : 08:56:44
|
Hi Celestica
One of my absolute favs is "You can heal your life" By Louise Hay
Yes,yes she is the queen of Metaphysics,but if you read her book and can stomach the initial fruffiness,the woman is uncannily correct.
Most of the BS that is floating around these days was sent a-floating by someone who had something to gain from it
Authors,chiro's naturopaths and PHARMACEUTICAL companies....
I just read an interesting piece by a Dr. Baughman who contends that ADD and ADHD aren't a disease at all...just a collection of undesirable traits that are subjectively diagnosed by the sufferer or people in his/her environs.
There is no true 'test'...just a questionnaire.Novartis is making 600 million dollars a year on ritalin,concerta and all the other types of SPEED it is marketing.
....and on 'food allergies'...I myself am a sort of specialist and have extensive field therapeutic training...ya' see,My wife went to a "Kinesthetic healer/Naturopath" who of course found food allergies in her and both of my kids.
My youngest son was diagnosed as being allergic to Corn Products......He told me himself the next time I made corn with our dinner "Dad...I'm allergic to corn...Dr. Marti said so"
I was furious that she even took the quack serious,but.....the next time he asked for a piece of candy,I took out the wrapper and looked.....hmmmmm...
"Sorry buddy....there's CORN syrup in virtually every kind of candy,every sweetened cereal and muffin/cake manufactured on the planet...according to Dr. Marti,your S.O.L."
amazing miraculous recovery on the spot....eats a whole plate of corn AND has a popsicle that clearly contains corn syrup
Now where's MY PhD.?????
I am a miracle healer
Baseball65 |
|
|
|
celestica
Canada
38 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2005 : 04:26:06
|
Hi Anne (Scottydog),
I don't recall per se if the 7 recommendations of Gabor Mate for healing were helpful, but the categories are below, in an exerpt of a review written on the Amazon website.
"Acceptance, Awareness, Anger, Autonomy, Attachment, Assertion, and Affirmation. Most of these get fairly short introductions, but I found the section on anger extremely valuable. Anger can be a life-giving force, or it can be a killer if suppressed or acted out as rage. We need to get in touch with the energy of anger and use it to empower ourselves and make needed changes."
They look like they could be helpful.
We should start a new thread asking for tips on increasing self-esteem and confidence. One book that I found helpful is "Self Matters" by Dr. Phil. Basically, it's a cognitive behavioural programme involving journalling (time limited/task oriented) to uncover the myths you believe about yourself, where they came from, and refuting them. Myths that form the constant negative self talk, like, "you're no good", "people are watching you and waiting for you to fail", "you're incompetent at work and will be fired", "they wouldn't like me if they knew the real me", etc. (those are some of mine...) The programme then helps you to reveal your "authentic self" and achieve better things for yourself.
I know Dr. Phil has a rep for being a pop psychologist but his theories are sound and produce results when applied correctly. He's not right about everything mind you, but on this he is. I hope this is helpful. I'm going to start a self esteem thread now.
Amelia |
|
|
|
art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2005 : 18:27:32
|
quote:
I know Dr. Phil has a rep for being a pop psychologist but his theories are sound and produce results when applied correctly
I've seen a bunch of his shows, and I have to say I admire the guy. I like his anti-victimhood (yet compassionate), pro-personal responsibility approach..
To a certain extent, even though I think she's probably a sick and angry woman with dangerous and whacky ideas, for a short while I kind of liked Dr Laura for the same reasons...But I finally couldn't stomach her toxicity any more..plus, she was sorely lacking in the compassion department |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Books I Like
