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100% free of physical pain ?!
- Thread starter Raynor91
- Start date
blake
Well known member
Hi there,
I think there are lots and lots of people who are 100% pain free. I'm sure they'll let you know about their stories.
But there are also lots of people like me who are on their way to becoming pain free and for whom the physical pain is no longer a big issue. Once I started thinking psychological about my pain, I started to see what I needed to do to stay pain free. It's still a work in progress for me, but the physical pain no longer controls my life in any way. I practise the sports I want, I work as much as I want and just do what I want without thinking about the pain at all. Now that's freedom, wouldn't you say?
I think there are lots and lots of people who are 100% pain free. I'm sure they'll let you know about their stories.
But there are also lots of people like me who are on their way to becoming pain free and for whom the physical pain is no longer a big issue. Once I started thinking psychological about my pain, I started to see what I needed to do to stay pain free. It's still a work in progress for me, but the physical pain no longer controls my life in any way. I practise the sports I want, I work as much as I want and just do what I want without thinking about the pain at all. Now that's freedom, wouldn't you say?
Steve Ozanich
TMS Consultant
I've never seen anyone that never had any flare up, or that has never had a TMS symptom again. I've seen many who think they're above the human process of emotions and symptoms, but that's their problem. They don't realize that their sleepless night, stiffness, aching, fatigue, or million other effects are TMS.
We cannot live a life free of every symptom, if we're not in touch with pain we aren't alive any more. Hanh said that if we're not in touch with pain we can't be in touch with happiness. However, good balance means symptoms come and go quickly, don't affect life, and there's no sense of worry, fear, or obsession.
But you asked about back pain specifically. Mine has never returned. I'm not sure what you meant by "physical damage?"
SO
We cannot live a life free of every symptom, if we're not in touch with pain we aren't alive any more. Hanh said that if we're not in touch with pain we can't be in touch with happiness. However, good balance means symptoms come and go quickly, don't affect life, and there's no sense of worry, fear, or obsession.
But you asked about back pain specifically. Mine has never returned. I'm not sure what you meant by "physical damage?"
SO
nowtimecoach
Well known member
Raynor91,
I can tell you that I have been completely TMS symptom free for over a month. I only know its been over a month because I was looking through my triathlon log book. This is what I did - I read every book out there regarding TMS - did the workbooks, did the SEP on this forum, participated in the forum and jumped on the conference calls. I scheduled events, social events, bike rides or runs - knowing that I would probably have pain but I was going to keep trying to get my life back. The final book that really helped seal the deal was Eric and Walt's book God Does Not Want You To Be In Pain. Somehow, the exercises came at the right time to really lock in the psychological work I was committed to doing. I never stopped believing that I was going to be healed. It took me a long time to get to that belief but reading all the books I did helped me.
My TMS was compounded with the processing of a lot of grief. Steve O told me one time, It was just going to take TIME to heal on that level. I heard him and I felt myself ease a little with patience. Its very hard to have patience when you have pain. This is the discipline that TMS recovery asks of us. I"m a little out of touch with the forum these days, but I've read your posts and know that you're motivated to be free of pain. It will happen Raynor91. I promise you!
I can tell you that I have been completely TMS symptom free for over a month. I only know its been over a month because I was looking through my triathlon log book. This is what I did - I read every book out there regarding TMS - did the workbooks, did the SEP on this forum, participated in the forum and jumped on the conference calls. I scheduled events, social events, bike rides or runs - knowing that I would probably have pain but I was going to keep trying to get my life back. The final book that really helped seal the deal was Eric and Walt's book God Does Not Want You To Be In Pain. Somehow, the exercises came at the right time to really lock in the psychological work I was committed to doing. I never stopped believing that I was going to be healed. It took me a long time to get to that belief but reading all the books I did helped me.
My TMS was compounded with the processing of a lot of grief. Steve O told me one time, It was just going to take TIME to heal on that level. I heard him and I felt myself ease a little with patience. Its very hard to have patience when you have pain. This is the discipline that TMS recovery asks of us. I"m a little out of touch with the forum these days, but I've read your posts and know that you're motivated to be free of pain. It will happen Raynor91. I promise you!
Raynor91
New Member
Thank you so much nowtimecoach, I really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read and reply to my post. Thank you for your help as well, I will definitely look into the things that you did that helped you be 100% pain free. Yes, I am more than motivated to achieve this and be pain free, I guess I just need a little bit of direction. If you have any spare time could you please let me know what you meant by 'did the workbooks' and 'did the SEP on this forum' ?
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Raynor91
New Member
Hi Steve sorry for the misconception but yes I was referring to back pain and if any flare ups or spasms return ? Has any for you or are you 100% back pain free ? If it hasn't return how did you succeed in this psychological obstacle that some of us are still facing ?
nowtimecoach
Well known member
Raynor91 - I was referring to workbooks that often accompany the TMS books I read. Howard Schubiner's Unlearn Your Pain was really good for giving specific exercises to do every day - journaling kinds of things so I could start feeling the connection between my thoughts and emotions with the pain I was experiencing. The SEP refers to the Structured Educational Program. If you go to the home page, you'll see it listed on the left side of the page. There is another program that is recommended you do first and its also excellent. http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/TMS_Recovery_Program This is Alan Gordon's stuff. Just start and keep doing the work they suggest and you'll learn more about yourself than you would think possible. Oh, and the bonus is that you get out of pain!
Steve Ozanich
TMS Consultant
Nowtime, I'll use a word Dr. Sarno likes to use, delighted. I'm delighted that you have freed yourself. You were one of those that I talked to where it was obvious you were going to heal. You came in with dogged determination, curiosity, good humor (not ice cream) and deep desire. I've been doing this long enough now that I can almost tell how they're going to heal: fast, average, slowly, not at all. You had what you needed, desire and acceptance. Epictetus said best, life is about progression not perfection. Our goal is to get better than we are now, constantly. If that leads to an end then so be it. There will be other obstacles in our lives to occupy us.
Raynor, I have had no back pain since I healed. I was referring to TMS when I said that everyone has it, and that we will always be in touch with emotional effects. After all, our emotions are felt through our body. If you don't have some anxiety again, or butterflys, or heartache, or sorrow, then you're no longer alive. It took me 10 years to explain how I overcame it. I can't do it here. But if you want to heal, you will. The truth is the only thing that will free you. Find it within yourself. Keep searching!
The end is the goal, and that is to recognize it for what it is, sense it, not fear it, deal with it, and let it go. Thomas Jefferson said that the art of life is the art of avoiding pain. I hope they don't take my name off the Declaration of Independence but I think the art of life is the art of accepting pain, then progressing forward.
Steve
Raynor, I have had no back pain since I healed. I was referring to TMS when I said that everyone has it, and that we will always be in touch with emotional effects. After all, our emotions are felt through our body. If you don't have some anxiety again, or butterflys, or heartache, or sorrow, then you're no longer alive. It took me 10 years to explain how I overcame it. I can't do it here. But if you want to heal, you will. The truth is the only thing that will free you. Find it within yourself. Keep searching!
The end is the goal, and that is to recognize it for what it is, sense it, not fear it, deal with it, and let it go. Thomas Jefferson said that the art of life is the art of avoiding pain. I hope they don't take my name off the Declaration of Independence but I think the art of life is the art of accepting pain, then progressing forward.
Steve