Breaking conditioned triggers??

Good afternoon!

I am 3.5 weeks into my TMS journey for right hip (groin and deep posterior buttock) pain and still searching for improvement.

If I truly have TMS, I have a serious case of conditioned triggers. My pain comes and goes through various activities and body positions - but it is always present when sitting. Any time I sit in a chair or half lay down on a couch, it is painful (doesn't matter if it is for 15 minutes of 5 hours). What is the best way to break conditioned triggers? Specifically sitting?

Also, yesterday morning I went to the gym and rode a stationary bike for 30 minutes (longest I've done in a LONG time). Yesterday afternoon, evening, and now this morning - my pain has unquestionably increased. Is this potentially a conditioned trigger as well?

I truly believe in this diagnosis, but I do know there is still a small part of my brain that believes my pain could be physical. I'm working really hard to overcome those negative thoughts - any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

John

 

Hi John,

Yes. I was conditioned to believe that if I used my foot much, the pain would increase the next day. One night I got lost in the moonlight on my bicycle in the mud on a playa. I was searching for dry ground, but only found more mud, until I had to dismount and push as hard as I could on the mud-jammed bike, tires not even turning. I was using my bike because at this time I never walked any more than maybe 100 ft when I had to. This evening, I had to use my feet in an extreme way that I had not done in several years of foot pain. I felt a lot of (familiar) fear that I was going to really have hurt feet the next day. I sat down on my bike, lost, and realized that this whole thinking pattern about the pain getting worse was a belief. It was "believable" based on my experience (like your experience with sitting), and yet it was only a thought about the future, nothing more. I found my way home, and the next day my foot was no worse than any other morning. By questioning my conditioning, the conditioning loosened up. Permanently.

You might watch out for that moment when you fear the sitting which will happen in the future, and catch the familiar thoughts about what is "sure to happen."

I hope you keep your confidence that you have TMS, even though a small part of your brain believes it is physical. This small part which does not believe you have TMS is actually not important, and this doubt is common. Experiences, unbidden, like mine over time undo the doubts. These experiences will happen if you stick to what you're doing re Sarno. When an experience which refutes your conditioning occurs, meditate on it!

I hope you don't count the time, but rather recognize your own inner efforts, your steadfastness.

Andy B