Acceptance and believing

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

Accepting the Diagnosis was so important for me to heal. I have said many times that I believed from the start and I did. But there was this part of me that had doubts too – You know that part that wonders could this be too good to be true.
I found out that I had this inner voice that most often was very harsh on me for not being better by now and I learned how not to give attention to that voice any longer, this helped tremendously.
I went and worked out for the first time in close to 2 years after I heard that nothing was physically wrong with me except on the level of the emotions and my reactions and how I had been repressing all of my pressures.
During the workout I remember repeating to myself in my mind; over and over again that nothing was wrong with me. As I did this and lifted the weight I didn’t get a twinge of pain. This confirmed to me that something was all wrong with the way I was thinking that I was hurt (Like all the structural thoughts that had been ingrained into my mind).
I came into my home that afternoon with a smile.
I had just proved to myself that tms was real and I had to learn how to control this mechanism now.
The diagnosis from the TMS recovery program was just what I needed to put together a chain of unconscious effects that was happening to me.
I noticed that when I got mad or stressed I would hurt more and then when I relaxed and spoke affirmations and meditated the pain would lesson and soon I had put 2 and 2 together.
This was a real psychological factor that I had to address if I was going to stay better and I knew that I had to accept this TMS diagnosis all or nothing. I soon fully recovered after it finally dawned on me all the way that it was tms and psychologically caused pain.
The acceptance was so crucial cause if I thought it was structural then I would be feeding the neural pathways to keep the pain in my body. As I started getting back to living life to the full it dawned on me more and more that I was getting better and better the more I enjoyed the process and Believed.

 

[Cap'n Spanky]

Thank you for sharing that, Herbie! You have such a good and positive way of communicating these concepts.

For me, belief was a process that got stronger over time. At first, I just really, really wanted to believe. Over time those beliefs became part of me. Eventually, I became a full-fledged, Kool-aid drinking evangelist. Believing has resulted in amazing, life-changing benefits for my health, for which I am eternally grateful.

In A.A., they suggest that you come to rely on a higher power. They'll often say ...
"I came ..."
"I came to ... "
"I came to believe ... "

So I would agree that belief is a process.

On a side note: I believe there are many parallels between the way A.A. and similar programs relieve people of their addictions and how this TMS program relieves people of their physical pain and other health issues. I suspect similar psychological processes are at work.

 

[SebastianM]

Hi Herbie,

thank you for your positive words . I feel connected to them.

I had just proved to myself that tms was real and I had to learn how to control this mechanism now.
The diagnosis from the TMS recovery program was just what I needed to put together a chain of unconscious effects that was happening to me.
I noticed that when I got mad or stressed I would hurt more and then when I relaxed and spoke affirmations and meditated the pain would lesson and soon I had put 2 and 2 together.

It's so true. The SEP or TMS recovery program are very the best way to find out the connection between physical pain and psychological pain (emotions/feelings). Since I heard about TMS and started journaling, I recognized this "unconscious effects" you are talking about. Being in psychotherapy was not enough because it does not explain the pain. Acceptance of and trust in TMS is the first step to start the journey. Afterwards you are able to explore your unconscious and so. "Treating" the pain with self reflection, meditation and looking inside is my second step.
It's amazing... I totally agree with your story above.

Greetings
Sebastian

 

[dharn999]

Thanks for the post, I'm getting closer and closer to recovery but I'm still consumed with doubt. My first go around with TMS I bought in hook line and sinker, this time I have so much doubt because I can't figure out why and/or how thenpain returned if my unconscious understands TMS and it's existence... I put myself into a paradox and tried to consume myself with as much knowledge as possible but because of my obsessive behavior I never really stopped doubting

Looking at it all now, I know that it is the doubt that is keeping me back, but I also know that in time the doubt will fade as long as I continue to work at it.. I also know that I definitely need to enjoy things more, instead of working out or going for a run because I need to reassure that I'm safe and not really in any physical harm, I need to be doing it because it's something I enjoy

In time I will be there, just like everyone else

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

I also know that I definitely need to enjoy things more, instead of working out or going for a run because I need to reassure that I'm safe and not really in any physical harm, I need to be doing it because it's something I enjoy

In time I will be there, just like everyone else

Getting to full belief took me about 6 months, then my belief grew more and more as I did my homework and healed.
October this year will be 5 years since learning how to really heal from body pain. I still have to do my homework almost daily.
It's not as much reconditioning anymore, I'm pretty well conditioned to mind body healing now. It's more staying in the practice of enjoying the moment, being at peace with what is and I practice feeling my emotions more.
If I don't practice at least 30 mins daily, I can tell. I start to feel stressed then I'll think about that and fix the stress emotion.
What sounds so cool in what you wrote above is that you feel the stress that's pushing you to go test or workout the body.
I fall there sometimes too, but like you that's part of my practice to correct my reaction to that stress.

Thank you.

 

[Tennis Tom]

"Perhaps the most important (but most difficult) thing patients must do is to resume all physical activity, including the most vigorous." "HEALING BACK PAIN" pg. 79.

Believing the theory is CRITICAL to healing--you can't think the earth is half round and half flat at the same time without fearing falling off the edge at sometime. The NOCEBO is FEAR of doing further damage--since the pain is benign, using it won't damage it. Not using it will cause things to atrophy, and you'll wind up bored and depressed. I don't listen to doctors much anymore if they're laying nocebos on me. I am usually telling them what's new--like TMS.

Thursday I had an "annual" check-up, first one in probably five years to make my physician's assistant happy. Got the blood work done, a couple of parameters went up, and a couple went down since my last physical, but no big red flags. I asked him about a "hernia" at my belly-button that an old doctor was "kind" enough to point out to me while I was swimming. He told me it was "...very easily fixed by minor surgery these days." I'd never noticed it, or gave it a thought prior. I started worrying about it somewhat, and asked my doc about it out at mt exam. My doc said, he was an old doctor and things had changed. They no longer operate for it unless it becomes a problem getting tied around itself, and I would know it! I like my new doc because I hardly ever see him, and when I do, he doesn't try to lay a bunch of nocebos on me to leave his office with me and over to a specialist.

If your belief in TMS has waned or gotten a bit rusty it may be time to read a good TMS book for a TMS BOOSTER. Herbie and Walt have written one and you may want to read it to refresh your belief in the Good Doc's theory :

http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/God_Does_Not_Want_You_to_Be_in_Pain (God Does Not Want You to Be in Pain)​