Hi,TT,
I
Dr. Sarno termed TMS part of the "human condition", it is not a disease, it is a psychological defense mechanism. Dr. Sarno said it was a PROTECTOR, from experiencing what the sub-conscious decides is even more painful emotional pain head-on. So it supplies a socially acceptable distraction sympathy gathering device as a distraction, to get one off life's playing field. It was found that soldier's injured in battle, needed very little or no morphine for their excruciating pain, due to the relief of being in a hospital bed, and off the literal battlefield. Having a socially acceptable structural TMS "injury" takes us off the battlefield of life--away from having to deal with the emotional issues the sub-c has decided for us are even more painful then the physical pain TMS pain, which Dr. Sarno said are some of the most excruciating he had seen--although they were benign. That's why TMS symptoms morph, depending on what is popular in the collective me and socially acceptable to talk about. When ulcers were found out to be caused by stress, then and now back "problems" superseded them. Ulcers are making a comeback though now that "scientific evidence" is being found to repopularize it and bring them back into the collective fold of socially acceptable symptoms. I've heard anecdotally Dr. Sarno had TMS symptoms, he was human too. If TMS is a disease, maybe it should be approached by treating the gray matter that is at it's source--I've heard, like leaching, lobotomies and electro-shock therapy are coming back into favor--everything old is new again.
Hi TT,
I would like to thank you all for your thoughtful responses. In re reading and giving more thought to some of your responses, I retract what I said about saying that TMS is part of the human condition is a misnomer.
If TMS is a disorder (Sarno's words, not mine) then by nature it would be part of the human condition as all humans experience a disorder of some sort, physical, mental, spiritual or otherwise at some point in their lives.
My point here is to try an address the nature of discussing TMS, sometimes it appears to be like trying to nail jello to the wall. I am attempting to try and get it in some sort of bag or container which can then be put on a shelf on the wall or nail the bag to the wall so to speak. Sarno said that the first thing with regard to TMS is information. Conflicting information leads to confusion and "disorder". I do not agree with all of Sarno's hypothesis, but I do agree with the journey and adventure of exploration he was part of.
Sarno speaks of permanence in the removal of TMS symptoms. That is for the most part a cure. Alan on the other hand, looks at it more like a disease model (my interpretation) I say that because a disorder is basically when things are not operating as they should with no structural effect, where a disease had definite physiological effects.
When one says that the brain/mind is abnormally processing information (a disorder), and then those processes lead to physical changes in ones brain (a disease). This is my line of thinking. I see many here having what I see as valid challenges in attempting to interpret the meaning, modes of causality, treatment surrounding TMS.
I would expect some of those challenges to be mitigated if their were some common foundational points, the starting would be to define what TMS is. It should not be a free for all with everyone having their "own truth".
It should be possible to arrive at some consensus even if it may be disputed an debated by some.
"Dr. Sarno termed TMS part of the "human condition", it is not a disease, it is a psychological defense mechanism."
TT, OK, let's not call TMS a disease, but a disorder like Sarno does. But then in that case, it would be a disorder of our psychological defense mechanism. It makes a difference in discussing TMS, because how can one address or create order out of disorder without first recognizing it for what it is (in theory).
My understanding from Sarno's take is that the disorder is protecting one from something that doesn't really need to be protected, though quite often I find the logic circular. Making my brain into jello, lol. Alan's take is similar in that respect.
"So it supplies a socially acceptable distraction sympathy gathering device as a distraction, to get one off life's playing field."
That does not really make evolutionary sense. If you are speaking in the context of the last 2,000 years or so, our brains do not develop in evolutionary terms in such a short period of time, that is a blink of the eye. Even if it were true, that this type of behavior goes back hundreds of thousands of years, "socially acceptable distraction sympathy gathering devices would have literally gotten one off of lifes' playing field
permanently and so would be maladaptive; in which case, we would not be having this conversation right now.
It might be said that illness and injury is a part of the human condition and aids in evolutionary value (I know this may sound cold) because it weeds out the weaker of the species which might threaten survival of the herd, tribe, or group. As human beings, especially in more recent times, we have developed our sense of compassion and empathy. Could it be, that part of the isolation one feels in having an illness or disorder comes in part from a fear or anxiety of being perceived as weaker, not a valuable contributor to society and that keeps the cycle of disorder going?? I think this may just be a important part of the puzzle of many differing syndromes and disorders.
"It was found that soldier's injured in battle, needed very little or no morphine for their excruciating pain, due to the relief of being in a hospital bed, and off the literal battlefield. Having a socially acceptable structural TMS "injury" takes us off the battlefield of life--away from having to deal with the emotional issues the sub-c has decided for us are even more painful then the physical pain TMS pain, which Dr. Sarno said are some of the most excruciating he had seen--although they were benign. "
That is a fairly old example about the soldier, I would suggest that it was not necessarily being off the battlefield, or relief from being in the hospital bed which enabled the soldier to do with less morphine. I would say it is perhaps a fine example of the mind/body working its magic. I say this from personal experience and this is why:
When my daughter was 7 years old, she was involved in a car accident, seriously injuring her (she's fine now).
She had been pinned in between two cars, the bumper broke both her femurs and the headlight damaged her spleen and liver. Because of the nature of her injuries, she could not be given any pain killers. After they operated to remove the damaged parts of her internal organs and put pins through her femurs so that her legs hung from a cage above her, she was in excruciating pain, more then I could ever imagine. I was with her in the intensive care and in the bed next to hers was a teen who had been involved in a motorcycle accident, he was in terrible shape, hoses everywhere, missing skin, multiple broken bones...(unfortunately, he did not make it).
I positioned myself between my daughter and him to block her view, she kept swatting at me with her hand, finally in her pain filled delirium she said "Go away, he's my medicine, he's my medicine!" a month or so later in the hospital I asked her if she remembered that and what was it about. she told me, "When I would look at him, he was hurt so bad that it made my pain go away". Out of the mouth of babes, and never having to book learn how to quell her pain.
"That's why TMS symptoms morph, depending on what is popular in the collective me and socially acceptable to talk about."
Being a fan of Occams razor, I would say the fact that TMS symptoms morph is more likely due to ones body compensating.
. I don't know you so I will ask some general questions : 