Apathy

[Mariskah]

Hi,

Im in week 5 now. No more pain! I can do whatever I want, but now Im suddenly apathic. Aboslutely nothing gives me joy. I dont want to do anything. Im usually quite the creative person.
I have had anxiety for many years, and bouts of severe depression. But I was hoping this would calm down with the pain. This apathy is really bothering me. Anyone experienced this?

Thanks!

 

[hecate105]

Perhaps it is because the pain has gone you have the freedom to decide what to do - and the TMS bit of you cannot cope - so you close down into apathy. Give yourself some time - just plod on with the TMS work and see if the apathy goes along the way - it probably is part of the TMS. good luck

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Hi @Mariskah, and welcome, and, Congratulations! on your success to far!

I agree with @hecate105. The sudden onset of psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression - and, in your case, apathy, which is probably a cousin of depression - is very very common, and you can talk back to your brain about this, as you probably already do for pain symptoms. I wrote a brief description of a depression incident I experienced and overcame after I'd been doing this work for a couple of months, which you might find interesting: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/bookmarks/608/view-item (Bookmark | TMS Forum (The Mindbody Syndrome))

You might also find this audio program helpful, which explains how we are wired to be negative and always on the alert for danger. If you have rejected your brain's desire to be in this fear state, it may be attempting to put you into a "null" state so that you're still not distracted by emotions, and you'll be able to notice the sabre-tooth tiger waiting to eat you. The program is "Meditations to Change Your Brain" by Richard Mendius MD and Rick Hanson. It's part education, part meditations on this topic.

Speaking of which, how much meditation are you doing? I am still struggling to make it a daily practice, but I really love the Calm app, because it offers so many types of meditations, as well as the unique 10-minute Daily Calm, always with something new to think about or be inspired by.

 

[Mariskah]

Perhaps it is because the pain has gone you have the freedom to decide what to do - and the TMS bit of you cannot cope - so you close down into apathy. Give yourself some time - just plod on with the TMS work and see if the apathy goes along the way - it probably is part of the TMS. good luck

Hi @Mariskah, and welcome, and, Congratulations! on your success to far!

I agree with @hecate105. The sudden onset of psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression - and, in your case, apathy, which is probably a cousin of depression - is very very common, and you can talk back to your brain about this, as you probably already do for pain symptoms. I wrote a brief description of a depression incident I experienced and overcame after I'd been doing this work for a couple of months, which you might find interesting: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/bookmarks/608/view-item (Bookmark | TMS Forum (The Mindbody Syndrome))

You might also find this audio program helpful, which explains how we are wired to be negative and always on the alert for danger. If you have rejected your brain's desire to be in this fear state, it may be attempting to put you into a "null" state so that you're still not distracted by emotions, and you'll be able to notice the sabre-tooth tiger waiting to eat you. The program is "Meditations to Change Your Brain" by Richard Mendius MD and Rick Hanson. It's part education, part meditations on this topic.

Speaking of which, how much meditation are you doing? I am still struggling to make it a daily practice, but I really love the Calm app, because it offers so many types of meditations, as well as the unique 10-minute Daily Calm, always with something new to think about or be inspired by.

Thank you for the replies!
I will treat it as a part of the process, and not try to let it be a new obsession. I have had a lot of other strange symptoms at the same time. Burning sensation sporadicly across my face. Itching across body, some buzzing sound in my right ear that comes and goes and dry and burning feeling in eyes. I have been checked two times by a eye doctor this year because i have had eye pain too in early autumn. It went away, now today its back. Im still not finnished with tms, thats for sure.

I havent been doing meditation for a couple of weeks, I just have been feeling like i need a break and just do fun things for a while. I am planning on starting again. Thanks for the link JaneAtheCPA, I will take a look

Thanks again,