Should I buy "Unlearn Your Pain"?

I'm doing the Structured Education Program at this site. Is there any reason to buy Shubiner's "Unlearn Your Pain" as well/in stead? Thanks.

 

I suggest that you finish the SEP, as it is free and works for a lot of people. If when you are finished with the SEP, you still are experiencing TMS and want to go further, then Unlearn Your Pain is a good choice. I also recommend the Alan Gordon Recovery Program which is free on this site.

 

I would recommend reading as many quality TMS books as you can get your hands on. That title wasn't one of the first several I read but based on its reviews it looks like a solid bet

 

I am going through unlearn your pain now actually while reading Steve's book the back pain deception. Unlearn your pain has so many exercises that would take you hours per day if you are willing to. There are a lot of exercises that brought me to old memories and saddness and journaling is a required exercise as well. the book also comes with a meditation CD to do after each exercise. I think the book is a good way to start discovering yourself and if you have no idea from where to begin or need a guided way through healing. For me, I always need directions otherwise I get into this freeze mode and dont know how to proceed next. My current routine is to get up, do the exercises in the book for one hour and then meditate and do visualization. I have been in severe hip and piriformis pain for two weeks now after getting fired from my job which Im sure was the trigger. It was funny how I didn't have pain during the day i was fired but shortly after (2 days) the pain started. I was doing chiropractic for months now and improved greatly then BOOM the symptoms came back in the other leg. This had me remember Dr Sarno's and Unlearn your pain books I bought years ago but forgot about them. I have started the TMS treatment about a week ago and I will be calling my chiro to cancel my sessions because it's clearly not working for me. how could the original pain come back to the different hip that was fine. Anyway, I'd say the book is good it has a LOT of content and would take you weeks to complete the exercises. You could get it and use it along with the SEP or if your symptoms are stubborn (like me).

 

thanks

 

Agree with Ellen, firstly complete the Structured Education Program and if you still feel the need then go for furthur reading option there are plenty of good choices available..

 

You should be very careful. Looking for the perfect new book and program can become a full time activity.
I distracted myself for 2 years and made zero progress. Eventually I realized that the key to healing was to do the work myself.

I am a bit skeptical of having to follow a structured program but everybody is different. I read Dr. Schubiner's book but instead of doing his program, I followed my intuition instead. Once I knew what to do, I just did it day after day and stopped looking for books or searching the internet for answers.

In many ways looking compulsively for new material is your brain trying to distract you from doing the work. I am not saying it is your case, just something to watch for.

 

In the beginning, with Dr. Sarno's seminal work, the advice was always to learn all you can, to gather and learn and grow and heal. But now that the TMS field has become more saturated and deafened by white noise and clever marketing strategies and nonsensical confusing advice, reading and gathering is no longer recommended. The TMS field is rapidly becoming the very same crippling self fulfilling entity that the medical industry became; surviving by means of confusing and treating. Action cannot solve this problem, truth alone destroys darkness.

When you begin to understand samskara you'll see that programs and techniques "all depend." In the end, all who want to heal permanently should stop all programs (depending on the imprint identified with the act). Those who seek "healing methods" aren't paying attention, and are still TMSing. It has never been about doing, but rather understanding. Love alone destroys fear. When you get deeper into the process you will see that your answers do not need answered. Then you are healed.

 

I agree with Ellen & ezer. The act of searching for new material can be a huge distraction from actually doing the “work”.

For me, with a perfectionist personality, total immersion of everything available so I have the most control to ensure success, is what I do. I also believe it is highly connected to why I experience pain from TMS. I do think it’s beneficial to try not to exercise your perfectionism while trying to battle the problems that it causes.

That aside, both tools mentioned are great. The SEP & Alan Gordan’s program are free, provide structure, the mixed medium can be powerful for the learning parts (video, audio, text), they have tons of existing discussion to reference in the forum and they require you to do the work on your own paper.

As a software developer constantly obsessing over user interfaces, I’ve always believed it’s hard to find a more immediately flexible interface than a pen and paper. Very useful for getting out what’s in your head, conscious or not. Also very easy to destroy once you are done (to avoid possible TMS causing activities: hording, ruminating).

“Unlearn Your Pain” is excellent. The learning parts are thorough yet much more succinct and structured than a Sarno book. Dr. Schubiner’s experience shines with a confidence. It’s a workbook that you must purchase (can’t find it at the library). To me, this is a benefit. I am a DIY kind of guy and I love free in theory. But there is a drawback to free. We don’t subconsciously value things that are free as much as something we paid even 25 cents for. The combo of value, expertise and clarity can only be good for persuading the unconscious.

Because the education is mixed in, it’s like a Sarno book you can mark up, this can be helpful for reinforcing ideas in your mind and for reference later. The physical presence of having a book sitting on your desk is a helpful reminder that you should find a pen, open it up and knock something out. It’s much harder to get sidetracked in a book than in a web browser.

One of the few drawbacks is that you’ll end up with a book laying around with likely sensitive content that’s not as easy to discard. Though to me the TMS journey is a bit of a lesson in coming to terms with vulnerability and simply having the workbook around can help you face that.

I agree with Steve that there is a lot of noise out there to get lost in & rigid structure does little for matching an individuals exact needs. Ultimately, if it was as easy as just flipping a switch to “believe” you wouldn’t need any tools at all. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy for most people. Structure helps many take a first step and a second and can actually take you out of your comfort zone to look at your TMS in a way you wouldn't have on your own.

For me using multiple tools for recovery can up the potential that something will work best for you. Just don’t get lost in your search so that you continue to put off actual work to make some progress.

 

This is a good question because it provides a teaching point on belief. Everything moves according to belief. And when people are desperate they will try anything for relief. The placebo studies prove that belief changes the current reality based on the new perception. The word placebo means “I shall please.” And so when a person is open to change they will change according to their current belief. So it doesn’t matter what you choose in order to help as long as you believe in it.

However a perception based on something harmful, eg, a fibromyalgia diagnosis will harm the individual, and other false assumptions such as TMS is a psychological disorder, or that you must do this and that will also often have temporary effects.

The problem here is that TMS stems in part from deep confusion. Not only cognitive dissonance, but also in life. Many people aren’t sure what to do with their life, or aren’t sure they’re in the right relationship, or even if TMS is true, etc. And so conflicting views add to the storm of confusion as is noted in the many threads asking for clarification. When the person finds that concept that connects deeper in them they will change as the new “outer” truth matches their inner need.

So multiple sources may have varying effects, but always beware of conflicting concepts and basing your beliefs on your current needs. I hope that makes more sense in seeking out information. More is not always better, and yet not enough might not be enough.

 

Making progress involves a deep self review and time to reflect is what I have found. Reaching down deep inside myself & pulling myself out of a dark maze of why me has obviously been the hardest part otherwise I'd be cured by now not reading anything in this forum, or the multiple books on the market. So so many books with many techniques short of promising a cure "if you accept" this or that. So I just found the KISS technique in my life which is "keep it simple stupid" even when things are so complicated. I found journaling (not just writing, but talking it out) in my head is helping. Visualization of doing fun things again because "there is nothing structurally wrong !" Everyone needs to figure out what it right for them (no 2 people are alike) because too much information is confusing & conflicting views leave too many unanswered questions with nowhere to turn. The forum has great information on why TMS happens so the knowledge part was great for me. There are other great techniques to try with some mental gymnastics too. Sarno says get physically active again. Even with a good amount of pain that has been my focus with acceptance of a TMS diagnosis. One question I do have is what is your opinion of the ISTDP (intensive dynamic short-term psychotherapy) method for dealing with repressed emotions ?