Alcoholism andTMS

[Tony D]

I am a recovering alcoholic, 14 months sober. I just finished reading 2 of Sarno's books and amazed to see that the most common root cause of TMS and Alcoholism are very similar. Self-Centered fear is what it is commonly referred to in AA. Wondering if other AAs have had success with TMS as a result of the 12 Steps or from Sarno's program. I have recurring lower back pain and no structural damage.

Tony D.

 

[hecate105]

No, but I am the child of an alcoholic and I can see my father very clearly in the Sarno books! I have inherited many of his characteristics - so I am using the TMS programs to heal myself from over 20 years of pain, and I am understanding the root causes so I do not follow in my father's footsteps! There was an excellent video on Youtube about a guy in America working with alcoholics and drug addicts, I'm sorry I can't remember his name - but it was through a link somewhere on this site (I think!) He was able to point out the causes/continuations and did it in such a compassionate and matter-of-fact way. Worth looking for. Good luck with your TMS work.

 

[BruceMC]

Hecate105, could it be Dr Gabor Mate and his lecture on addiction and brain development?

http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/media/brain-development-addiction-with-gabor-mate.57/

It's in the media section of this Forum and discusses a number of Mate's ideas from his book on addiction, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. And, yes, from what Dr Mate says, it certainly sounds like alcoholism and other drug addictions have a similar etiology as TMS.

 

[hecate105]

Thanks BruceMC, that is it! I will bookmark it this time as I watched most of it, then accidently shut down my computer!

 

[Forest]

Tony, you are completely correct about the similarities between alcoholism and TMS. They are simply different acts to avoid the same fears.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

My father, stepfather, brother and most of my uncles were all alcoholics.
I never understood why they drank so much until I learned about TMS.
Now I know they were excellent candidates for it, with their many
repressed emotions... anger, guilt, jealousy, money worries, etc.

I didn't want to wind up like them, so I just drink moderately.
One glass of wine or beer before dinner, if that.

 

[hecate105]

Walt, I really worried about drinking excessively when I was younger, but despite doing lots of drink & drugs as a teen/20s I always had a little voice in my head that stopped me getting addicted. I don't know why I developed fibromyalgia instead. But I do now know that I have a lot of emotional and psychological stuff to sort through. It may take years, but I am going to stick with it and beat the TMS....

 

[Fifi]

My father, stepfather, brother and most of my uncles were all alcoholics.
I never understood why they drank so much until I learned about TMS.
Now I know they were excellent candidates for it, with their many
repressed emotions... anger, guilt, jealousy, money worries, etc.

I didn't want to wind up like them, so I just drink moderately.
One glass of wine or beer before dinner, if that.

Hi Walt, I too drink very little as a result of an alcoholic mother, God Rest Her Soul, who passed away on my husband's birthday almost 2 years ago. I had no idea that there was a connection between TMS and Alcoholism. My journalling has revealed to me that not only did I freak out when I moved at 10 years of age from another province, away from all my friends - but that is when my mom started drinking - When I was about 21 I was visiting her and she was drunk. At the time I wasn't too kind to her because I told her she was a drunk and that she should go to AA. My father told her that he couldn't abide the kids talking to her like that and that she had to go get help. Years later when I heard her AA talk, I was appalled to realize how much she was packing away. She always told me that it was her fault I turned out the way I did. There are too many people in my generation who have spent far too much time, in my opinion, going for psychological help and ending up playing the blame game. I just want her to rest in peace. I do hope it is possible to heal myself while not blaming her.

 

[hecate105]

It is a tricky one isn't it? We are the result of our upbringing - and our parents mistakes, but also 0f our own decision-making and reactions. I feel that I had to uncover the harm and emotional hurt I got thru/from my parents and work thru it. But I did not want to confront them or force them to see the hurt they had caused. I think we all realise that none of us are perfect... If we can wade thru the emotional stuff in order to understand ourselves and our relatives better, we can leave their confronting their own emotional turmoil/actions etc to them. Some of them may do it - some of them won't. We can only be responsible for ourselves I guess...

 

[Fifi]

It is a tricky one isn't it? We are the result of our upbringing - and our parents mistakes, but also 0f our own decision-making and reactions. I feel that I had to uncover the harm and emotional hurt I got thru/from my parents and work thru it. But I did not want to confront them or force them to see the hurt they had caused. I think we all realise that none of us are perfect... If we can wade thru the emotional stuff in order to understand ourselves and our relatives better, we can leave their confronting their own emotional turmoil/actions etc to them. Some of them may do it - some of them won't. We can only be responsible for ourselves I guess...

I agree, and have lived my life with the same philosophy. In AA they say that alcohol is insidious. After all the research I have done on TMS I have come to believe that TMS is as well because it appears all the brain is doing is telling you to stop and take notice and it will keep taking more and more away from you until you notice and take some action.

I didn't quite fit into Alonon when my mom went to AA. I definitely could relate to having an Alcoholic personality. I just couldn't drink all that much because of IBS. I joined AA and practiced the 12 Steps, going to discussion groups etc.: It's probably what saved my sanity when I was younger. However, it did not stop TMS progressing throughout the years until I finally was diagnosed with Fibro and had to take early retirement. Funnily, enough, since finding out about TMS, I believe I have found the missing key. My biggest problem was acting out in ways that I would not normally act out and of course, the symptoms. Now I know how to work on myself so I don't have to do that anymore. I can recircuit my thoughts, not by thinking positively, which never worked for me, but by identifying how I feel at the time I am feeling it and honoring those feelings. I'm not even sure I need to go back to the past anymore to heal as the feelings/emotions are in the present. They seem to dissipate when I acknowledge them. I no longer have to search for the truth about my past.

I tested Dr. Sarno's theories and I have no pain. I walked in nature without any repercussions and then I did yard work again without repercussions. My next step is the Unlearn Pain program. I figure I can give time to TMS programs everyday as I certainly gave a lot of time to analyzing my pain and where it would show up in my body at any particular day. Since I had physical pain most of my life, it didn't really bother me. What bothered me was losing my capability of motion, exercise, being out in the sun and having energy. I don't usually rave about programs and have never participated in anything online but Drs. Sarno, Schubiner, Alan Gordon (and not to be forgotten, Forest) have given me back my life. Thank you.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

I find that a glass of hot milk is more relaxing than even a beer or glass of wine.

Even just deep breathing is better for me than anything alcoholic.

We all have worry monkeys on our back. Drinking or smoking cigarettes doesn't lift them off of us.
Solving our problems, through TMS knowledge, will.

 

[Fifi]

I find that a glass of hot milk is more relaxing than even a beer or glass of wine.

Even just deep breathing is better for me than anything alcoholic.

We all have worry monkeys on our back. Drinking or smoking cigarettes doesn't lift them off of us.
Solving our problems, through TMS knowledge, will.

I've heard chattering monkeys, or monkey brains, never worry monkeys...I like