Best resources to convince myself?

JanAtheCPA said:
Not "bad", @Nightowl! It's just a behavior, one of the collection of many different behaviors which make you unique, and which you can choose to adjust or let go when you see something is not going to serve you anymore. You can do this with kindness and patience for yourself (quoting Nicole Sachs). It's a process and a journey, one with side trips and rest stops and sometimes setbacks. But it will proceed as long as you visualize and have faith in the rewards ahead.
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I am trying so hard to have that faith!

I'm going to read Nichole Sachs's book next since I just finished the Claire Weekes book.
 
Nightowl said:
I'm going to read Nichole Sachs's book next
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@louaci and I are both Nicole fans. Try and find the time to treat yourself to one of her podcasts as often as you can. Her book launch episode is actually a great introduction to her story, and her guest at the book launch is an awesome addition to the conversation - it's a must-listen, although I've said that many times, LOL. I will say that a podcast episode with Nicole often feels like therapy. Check it out here
https://www.yourbreakawake.com/podcasts/the-cure-for-chronic-pain-with-nicole-sachs-lcsw-2/episodes/2148977560 (S4 E6: LIVE FROM THE 92nd STREET Y - Dr. Sarno and the Book that Will Change Your Life)
 
JanAtheCPA said:
@louaci and I are both Nicole fans. Try and find the time to treat yourself to one of her podcasts as often as you can. Her book launch episode is actually a great introduction to her story, and her guest at the book launch is an awesome addition to the conversation - it's a must-listen, although I've said that many times, LOL. I will say that a podcast episode with Nicole often feels like therapy. Check it out here
https://www.yourbreakawake.com/podcasts/the-cure-for-chronic-pain-with-nicole-sachs-lcsw-2/episodes/2148977560 (S4 E6: LIVE FROM THE 92nd STREET Y - Dr. Sarno and the Book that Will Change Your Life)
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will do, thanks!
 
After that long intro, I guess my question is: what resources would you recommend for me to help convince myself this is TMS?
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There are some recognizable traits that TMS/MBS has that differs from physical injuries. Psychogenic symptoms are inconsistent throughout the day, or will shift depending on what you're doing. Physical injuries generally only respond to movement that's specific to the afflicted area. TMS will mimic physical injuries or take advantage of an existing or old injury site as well, so learning to distinguish between the two can take some time.

Once you are satisfied with Sarno's diagnosis and you begin returning to normal activity, you will likely begin to experience the "symptom imperative," where the location of the disorder begins to jump around and change. Most of us have found this to be affirming that we do indeed have a psychological condition and not a physical one.

I also purchased A Headache in the Pelvis, but I haven't read it because it seems to focus more on the physical (and on men), which goes against the tenets of TMS. My new psychotherapist actually told me to avoid anything PT-related because it will make me focus too much on the pain.
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I followed the Wise-Anderson approach for about a year and a half. I found that the trigger points in the muscle tissue that they discuss do play a role in generating TMS/MBS, as they replicate the symptoms when palpated and provide temporary relief when released. This finding confirms Sarno's theory that mild oxygen deprivation is what is causing the pain, at least at a mechanical level. I abandoned Wise's approach entirely after I read The Mindbody Prescription and was mostly recovered within a few months. My symptoms were similar to yours, originating in the pelvic area.
 
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scottjmurray said:
I followed the Wise-Anderson approach for about a year and a half. I found that the trigger points in the muscle tissue that they discuss do play a role in generating TMS/MBS, as they replicate the symptoms when palpated and provide temporary relief when released. This finding confirms Sarno's theory that mild oxygen deprivation is what is causing the pain, at least at a mechanical level. I abandoned Wise's approach entirely after I read The Mindbody Prescription and was mostly recovered within a few months. My symptoms were similar to yours, originating in the pelvic area.
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That is really interesting to hear. These days, it feels like everyone is diagnosed with a hypertonic pelvic floor and sent to pelvic PT. How come we all suddenly have tight pelvic floors? When I went through this 15 years ago, nobody had a tight pelvic floor, so doctors came up with all kinds of other diagnoses. But I feel like so many people rave about pelvic PT, I wonder if I'm missing anything. (I did try it, and it made me worse.)

I've now had two experiences with psychotherapy sessions that substantially reduced my symptoms right after, and that's going a long way to convince me that this is a mind body issue. Overall, my symptoms are better since starting more intense psychotherapy two weeks ago. It's just still difficult to wrap my head around.
 
HealingMe said:
It’s the new thing that’s in vogue. Like back pain.
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My mom is having similar symptoms to me (I think part of the reason I got this) but also very different, she's 30 years older, and has had a total hysterectomy, and she ALSO got diagnosed with tight pelvic floor and sent to pelvic PT. I was like, what?? How did all of our pelvises get so tight all of a sudden?
 
Diana-M said:
This is proof of TMS, right? How else could it make sense?
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Yes, although the hard part is that it only improves during the sessions where I talk about my father's recent death, which has been really hard for me. My psychotherapist asked me, "Would you rather be sad or in pain?" Hard question.
 
Nightowl said:
It's just still difficult to wrap my head around.
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There's that "Yes, but..." statement. It's in disguise, but it's still a "Yes, but... " and it is a sure sign that you are still allowing yourself to be manipulated by your TMS brain so that you remain spinning your wheels, stuck in doubt.

I for one am not buying it, and I say that with caring.
 
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