The closer you are to healing, the more you feel like a heroine addict on a detox

Hi All,

I just wanted to point out an interesting observation. The closer I am to healing, the more the symptom imperative ramps up and I end up with all kinds of symptoms (that, thankfully, don't make afraid). I am now going through severe nocturnal panic attacks, frequent urination, headaches, shifting pain in my mouth, teeth and throat, shoulder pain and cold symptoms. One would go crazy from this if they wouldn't know what they are dealing with.

One of the threads on the forum made an interesting point about the body purging all the years of stress that has accumulated. I truly believe that. As you go through the process of healing, you are also downloading new programs into your subconscious - how to feel safe, how to be happy, how to live in the present moment, how to no put pressure on yourself, how to love yourself etc. In the meantime, the subconscious is getting rid of the old programming (heroine) and is detoxing from it.

That's just my way of looking at the symptom imperative. Sure, it is uncomfortable but the only way out is through and the detox needs to take as much time as it demands.

 

Hi Patrisia

Thanks for posting this, it’s so useful and comforting to read as this is just what I am going through and it’s brutal both mentally and physically. Since I started the SEP and PRP the extinction bursts and symptom imperative have gone wild and it’s difficult to keep going some days even though I am aware of what’s going on. As Winston Churchill once said “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” I know this might sound dramatic but sometimes it does feel as extreme as this. I find that been kind and gentle to myself is important and on the very tough days I seek out the things that bring me comfort.... a good book, coffee with a friend, Yoga, meditation, a Netflix binge that gives me some much needed distraction for a while. However it can be hard to do this because all of the “life stuff” that needs doing is yapping away in my head and my family needs feeding, the house needs cleaning, everyone needs clean clothes etc etc but I’m getting better at setting boundaries and deciding when enough is enough and self care is a priority. The days where I have prioritised self care are proving to be the best ones for sure.

Wishing you continued healing,
Hayley x

 

i find that there isn't enough time in the day to get everything done, and the pressure of it is difficult for me to stop. i have a horrible little voice which keeps saying "Hurry UP" which I would like to not hear...

 

The to do list will never be all done....as long as we’re alive there will be stuff that needs doing. I think that been ok with not doing everything takes practice but the more you can leave stuff until another time the quieter that annoying voice becomes.

 

I will remember that...and thank you!

 

This is so true. I have had terrible things happen in my jaw. I liken it to those who have actually had surgery and then after discovered it was TMS. I had dental implants placed and removed. I lost massive amounts of weight, saw a counselor for three years, spent tons of money and discovered it's all TMS! Continue to be SO thankful to Dr. Sarno and Steve O and all the the wonderful people on this forum! Back in February of this year, I went to visit one of my sisters and her husband. She is a high powered attorney in a huge law firm and works tons of hours and often finds herself in massive pain coming from her back. When I was visiting and after I had a few cocktails, I summoned the courage to tell her about Dr. Sarno and the rage that we may have from our childhood. We immediately watched him on Netflix with Howard Stern and John Stossel and I started straight up bawling. Just listening to that dear, brilliant and kind human made me so grateful for the discovery he made about how terrible TMS is and the insane amount of manifestations it takes on us. I swear, just reading Healing Back Pain or The Divided Mind or any other TMS book is now all I need to literally be done with the pain. Also, too, I am a huge believer in Jesus and how the Bible addresses a lot of the rage/soothe issues I continue to have through all the current, stressful issues. Healing is all a huge great "melting pot" of things that we need to incorporate.

 

My father's friend felt the same way when he quit smoking and drinking alcohol. He had a very strong dependence on which he could not get rid of for a very long time, although he really wanted to. He tried all possible methods in order to completely get rid of the need to smoke and drink, but in the end, every time he still returned to the same thing. As a result, it seems to me that he independently enrolled in a clinic for rehabilitation from smoking and alcohol. In my opinion he found one of the alcohol rehab centers and just joined it. He was lucky that he found a really high-quality service because he finally understood how to get rid of addiction. Now it seems like he even found a new job for himself.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. Whenever I'm able to find peace with one symptom I'm allowed to be at peace for maybe some hours to a day until my mind makes up a new symptom -- and even if I know that it's psychosomatic the force of the doubts and catastophic thinking is so strong that it brings my mood down. However, I guess it's so strong because I've been living in this mode of fear and worrying my entire life and it's only during the past months I've found out about dr. Sarno. So I'm like a hardcore heroin addict trying to recover lol. However, I guess over time my brain will slowly retrain itself to this new positive way of thinking, thus making it easier and easier to make symptoms go away and stop the catastrophic thinking?

 

I am glad I read this. I've been having crazy teeth pain even though most of my other symptoms of TMS have greatly subsided. Been living through stressful situations lately and also doing my best to work with the techniques and also with my therapist. The teeth pain is so severe at times that it feels like it tries to take me under. I'm glad to hear that this is likely all a purge from the emotional work I have been doing.

 

Nice post Patrisia!

I think of it this way: every time a TMS symptom shows up and you fight it and win you become stronger.

As you continue to this day after day you can develop the neuropathways to such an extent that a simple mental command with stop the symptoms.

How can that happen?

it can happen the same way that a simple mental command can dry up our tears when we decide not to cry in public—at least for most people.

A strong emotion (sadness) leads to a physiological change (tears) and we decide to stop it at will and in most cases it does.

So keep dealing with symptoms from a place of peace, confidence, and strength day after day until those neuropathways have become super strong.