Experiences of reward system.

At present, I am using the reward ( and punishment) system more or less as set out in Fred Amir's 'Rapid Recovery...' I have to say that I didn't think this would work for me but I've found it to be surprisingly effective with headache pain.
Has anyone else had a positive experience with this approach? I don't use ice cream as a reward, I use these amazing sweet/sour gums that I love and also a really nice cup of coffee(not at the same time!).
Any flare up and it's no coffee that day. It seems to work quite well.

 

Wow, that sounds interesting. I'm not familiar with that system. How exactly does it work?

 

Well, I'm still very new to this and have only been practising this for a week or so and therefore I shan't be offended if anyone else out there can interpret the concept better than me but as I understand it, the idea is initially to give yourself an immediate reward after completing some activity or task that normally triggers a conditioned, unpleasant response. The idea behind this is,I think, to start to undo the negative association with the activity/task and replace it with a pleasant one which the brain will then hopefully latch onto and begin to link positively to the previously problem activity. I hope that makes sense. Before doing this,it's important to tell your brain that there will be a reward for completing the task, to anticipate the reward fully and then to tell your brain why you are having this reward when the activity is completed. Longer term rewards can be used in the same way. Re 'punishments', tell yourself that if your TMS 'acts up' you will ignore it and it will only get a certain chosen reward when it settles down.
I think that's the gist of it but others may well know more and I'd be interested to read other people's take on this if they've had a positive experience with it. I say positive because it seems to help me and I don't want any doubts creeping in so, many apologies for stressing that point again.

 

I've had some success with Fred Amir's approach in getting rid of migraines. I first worked on headaches not going to migraines, and promising myself small rewards, like walking to a small park to watch the kiddos play. Then I started working on getting rid of the tension headaches that were precursors to the migraines. My "punishment" was having to wash the car by hand.
This worked for me when other things did not. Glad it's working for you as well!

 

Thanks Gigi for sharing your experience.I love your cat by the way!

 

Amir's rewards/punishment methodology seems to confirm Dr Marc Sopher's advice that whenever you make it pain-free through an activity that used to cause you pain, you should kick back and "celebrate" your accomplishment. Sounds a bit like CBT, but if it works, what the heck?!

 

I'm a big believer in celebrating small victories along the way!

 

It's just one more way to be kind and compassionate to yourself, Gigi. TMSers are, in general, too hard on the themselves. Part of a tendency toward self-imposed stress I would think.