Should I use the keyboard and mouse while doing the recovery program?

The TMS I have is wrist/hand pain while using the computer and mouse mainly. Should i use the keyboard and mouse while I am in the process of recovery using Dr.Sarno's Books and Techniques from the Recovery Program? Or should i start using the keyboard and mouse after I have completely healed? Is it okay to use it from time to time while in the process of doing the TMS Treatment. In Sarno's book i read that he recommends to not do physical activity so that the brain will have time to reprogram itself. I really need to know what I should do. Thank you for your time. If you have dealt with a similar problem I would like a really long and specific answer and things you did yourself to overcome it.

 

Hello, @fakeshirou, and welcome.

The thing to understand and accept about emotional work is that everyone's path to recovery is different.

If someone with a history of RSI responds, they may be able to give you some starter ideas, but please don't expect a lengthy detailed set of instructions. Receiving detailed instructions is not going to help you eliminate the rigid, black & white thinking that is part of the underlying problem for us perfectionists!

Part of your goal is to learn to trust your instincts, to try different things, and to accept uncertainty. Accepting uncertainty is really hard for all humans, but it leads to greater peace.

I would suggest doing a keyword search on RSI, restrict the results to the tab for our forum, and choose threads and posts from the Success Stories subforum. If you read enough success stories, and really pay attention, you'll see many different ways in which people recover. Be sure to read the entire story of tmswiki.org founder @Forest, whose own story is RSI.

 

Without knowing more about your situation, it is hard to give advice.

I had the initial RSI - carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis, which was completely false. Unless you are a gamer who presses the same button on the keyboard or mouse dozen times per minute time and time again every day, you don't have RSI, you have TMS. I continued using my keyboard and mouse for work throughout my recovery and recovered 100%. Your focus should be on your emotions and how to deal with them, not on the minute details of how to use the keyboard, because in TMS the key is emotions. Again, if you are an obsessive gamer, you should slow down on games, not only to give your hands a break, but mostly because quite often games are an escape from the emotions.

 

What would qualify as an obsessive gamer? I have back, wrist pain and some ulnar nerve issues and i would say i game on average 8 hours a day. It generally doesnt help to take breaks and strength training makes it worse. I was sure this was TMS but now im doubting it again.

 

You just described every reason why what you have is TMS. You are living a life that we were not biologically designed to live. Humans are social animals, who need interactions with other humans, human touch, feeling emotions, exchange emotions. Repression of emotions is the main cause of TMS. Have you worked on getting in touch with your emotions and not a computer?

 

No im autistic and have no idea how to get in touch with my emotions, all i feel is anxiety. Whats so much worse about playing online games with friends than sitting in an office all day or any other repetetive work.

 

This explains a lot. Remember, anxiety is one of the emotions that are innate and necessary to humans, to protect us from dangers, but it went in overdrive in you. Have you tried meditation or creative writing? Have you looked at the work of Dr. Hanscom?

 

Ive wanted to try meditation but dont know where to start or how to do it. Not heard of him, anything specific you recommend from him?

 

@Keffy
Autism and anxiety seem to go hand in hand, and in my experience, so can anger and rage.
If it’s challenging to express yourself to others and find a way to meet some of your personal needs ( some you may not realize you have, we all do this) it could be stressful. Have you read a book on tms and do you resonate with it in any way?
Dr. Hanscom is an excellent suggestion to read. The author was a spine surgeon, and his book is called Back In Control. Yes, it focuses somewhat on back pain (his tms issue) but just sub in wrist pain for back pain. Nichole Sachs is an author who describes journaling for pain on her website The Cure For Pain (and has podcasts she discusses it).
Meditation can be learned. I use a free app called Insite timer. It has meditations for beginners which should describe the process. There should also be books and audio at your local library.
Good luck!

 

All the above is excellent advice. Also, don't forget Dr. Claire Weekes and her audios, she is the ultimate authority on anxiety.

 

Yea my life has been completely controlled by my social anxiety for the last 7 years and regular treatment hasn't helped. Ive read one of sarnos books like 3 years ago and definitely resonate with some parts, mostly anxiety, depression and some perfectionist traits. I also have it very hard understanding my feelings and am generally very cold, at least outward.
I will check them out thanks!

 

I am not autistic myself, but have an autistic person in my near circle, so I read quite a bit on autism. My understanding is that your problem is not that you are cold, you are too "hot" due to the hypersensitivity of your nervous system. As a result, instead of living through your emotions, you repress them. Anxiety is somehow the one emotion that is irrepressible.

If this can help, you don't have to understand your feelings, you may get around it by understanding that emotions are a flow of hormones through our bodies that also resonate in the brain. It is possible that your brain just can't process the emotion itself and shuts down the emotional circuit it has. But it is not a dead end. If you learn how to feel emotions physiologically as visceral sensations in your body and let them pass through your body without feeling overwhelmed and threatened, you may be in a better place not only with pain, but also in general with your life. But the first step is to notice your emotions. In that respect, you are not much different from many of us who repressed their emotions. Noticing them is the first step. Learning how to process them is the second step. Making it automatic is the third step.

 

Hmm yea maybe. I definitely have emotions but they feel very inconsistent. I for example emphasize a lot with animals and dont eat meat as a result but i still barely feel anything when a pet dies and even less if a relative dies.
I will try to feel my emotions more.
Thanks for the help!

 

Have you read a book by Temple Grandin?

 

No, which would you recommend?

 

I only read one: The Autistic Brain. One of the most memorable things she says is that she created a squeeze device which made her less anxious and calmed her down. When I get x-ray done at the dental office and they put that heavy shield blanket on me, I always think of her, it actually feels very calming. I also read a book by John Robison Switched On, which may be very helpful to you. He is also autistic, book is excellent, he talks about his discovery of emotions and learning how to develop relationships.

 

Ill check them out thanks.

 

Good luck! Keep us posted, we care about you!

 

There is also movies and other footage of Temple speaking. Her big take away is that she accepts herself fully. She was schooled as a child as to what general society finds acceptable but she doesn’t adhere to such norms that don’t suit her. Find the things that calm you, sooth you. I love to meditate, try it but perhaps you do better with fidgets to let off some anxious energy or squeezable things to aid you feeling frustration or anger.
Exploring what you need without judgement may be freeing, and fun!