Parts Therapy assistance in recovering?

[TimSon]

Dear all,


I hope to find some help and support in here.


I have had a story that is very similar to many others. In my end university time, I started to have serious back pain and went to ALL sorts of treatment until I was at the brink of giving up life. I started at a psychiatrist how someone magically brought me back to normal (after about 5 years in hell) via the use of sertraline (maybe just the placebo effect?). Things went fine until a couple of years where I later ended up in the same situation. This time it I recovered pretty quickly and things sort of returned to normal. But nightmare kept going because in end 2021 I had a flare up again.

It is clear to me that this is TMS. I get Lyrica (against nerve pain), pregabalin (against depression) as I get a very dark mood.

I totally buy into that nothing physical is wrong with me. But emotionally I am scared like shit and I cannot break the fear cycle at all. The fear and checking in is going on 100% of my awaken time.

I am starting to feel that I am drifting to that very dark place when a way out starts to look difficult.

Somehow, I cannot sooth myself and the tools of somatic tracking does not give me relief. I know that it is outcome independent, but still…

I am therefore wondering if there are people in here that would either direct me to a practitioner that offers online consultations or a peer discussion group.

 

[Cactusflower]

Hi @TimSon
You are starting to find yourself again already! You are on the right track.
Somatic tracking or any one ‘tool’ alone is probably not your answer, but it is still a good thing to do. Have you read a book by Dr. Sarno? If not, it is recommended.
Although it may seem like it now, your fear is much more expansive than just to your present condition. It is simply the feeling you are stuck in, to distract you from all the other emotions your brain somehow does not want you to experience. This is why many people must do inner work to find healing.
This website features a list of practitioners: Dr’s, therapists and pain coaches you can easily find from links on the main page.
There is Alan Gordon’s pain psychology therapists in Los Angeles (on that website are links to many coaches), SIRPA in the UK has loads of trained therapists and lists of them to access, PPD Association also has many practitioners listed. Lin Health now offers an array of pain coaches trained by either Alan Gordon or Dr. Howard Schubiner. It is easier than ever to find help.
This site offers two free programs the Structured Educational Program and Pain Recovery Program (similar to what is now called Pain Reprocessing). You can find these at the main page of tmswiki.org

The #1 thing to remember is that even though you are in pain, you are not sick or hurt. You are fine and the answers to healing are within you. Suffering is a mental state, not a physical one - once your nervous system begins to calm down, so will your body.
The author Claire Weekes is highly recommended to help you begin dealing with the suffering and anxiety. YouTube features many audios of her reading her own books. This charming little old lady held the key with simple calming advice.

 

[TimSon]

thanks for the comforting support.
I have read Sarno book, last time TMS stroke me in 2019.
I have been visiting a psycologist for more than a year now. And I dont feel that that is really bringing me any where. hence the reason why I ask people experience with a TMS practitioner.

I dont feel that I am having emotional problems and even though I try and "dig deep" inside I dont get any clues to what my body is trying to tell me, which is frustrating as well.

I appreciate the links that you have given. I think I will go and check out some online practitioner as there are no-one in my area.

 

[Cactusflower]

Dr. Tovah is in Israel so the time zone may be good for you: https://www.drtovah.com/

 

[JanAtheCPA]

I have been visiting a psycologist for more than a year now. And I dont feel that that is really bringing me any where. hence the reason why I ask people experience with a TMS practitioner.

@TimSon, I'm curious: is your psychologist not willing to include mindbody theory in your therapy? Perhaps the topic of trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences might be a place for the two of you to start such a discussion. I'm suggesting this because the level of your TMS-based suffering seems to be more intense than the average person we see here, which is often a sign that there is past trauma. Here is some information about ACEs, including the "test" to see if or how many of them someone has experienced (and I think that anyone with TMS will find it interesting to take this test):
Take The ACE Quiz — And Learn What It Does And Doesn't Mean : Shots - Health News : NPR