Day 1

[djamesharm]

This is Day 1 for me.

I’ve been dealing with chronic pain for close to 2 years now. Being a Mason, I hurt my back laying block for a foundation. MRI revealed herniated and bulged discs. I’ve tried the usual lists and treatments of meds and pt. Nothing really worked. Everytime I felt I made progress, another symptom would rear its face. Hip and pelvic pain, sciatica in left leg, then neck and shoulders. Now it’s into my chest and front part of my throat. Throw in some anxiety and insomnia.
A second MRI for my neck showed two “baby herniations of which my ortho said he wouldn’t even do anything to.
After reading “The Way Out” from an Alan Gordon, I started to realize that there are alternatives and I don’t have to be stuck. I am almost finished reading “Healing Back Pain” and I am convinced that it is TMS.
I pretty much check every box as a perfect candidate for chronic symptoms. Had some childhood trauma, pain was definitely brought on during time of stress and my fix it can do everything/perfectionism personalty definitely fits the bill.
I’m not sure where to go or how to apply all this knowledge. I’ve been working on controlling my fears and thoughts. I’m really looking forward to getting my life back and peeling back the layers of any emotions that I’ve buried into my body.

 

[Adam Coloretti (coach)]

I started to realize that there are alternatives and I don’t have to be stuck. I am almost finished reading “Healing Back Pain” and I am convinced that it is TMS.

Welcome!

Might seem like nit picking (but how you frame things internally is crucial to recovery) but once you're convinced it's TMS there are no alternatives, this is the only alternative. I appreciate that you may have meant that temporally (as in you're saying you realised there were other alternatives and that's how you were introduced to TMS), but I thought I'd clarify just in case

As to your last sentence, you're in the right place and with the program too

 

[djamesharm]

Welcome!

Might seem like nit picking (but how you frame things internally is crucial to recovery) but once you're convinced it's TMS there are no alternatives, this is the only alternative. I appreciate that you may have meant that temporally (as in you're saying you realised there were other alternatives and that's how you were introduced to TMS), but I thought I'd clarify just in case

As to your last sentence, you're in the right place and with the program too

Thank you. I will keep that as my frame of mind. This is the only alternative.

 

[pinkteapot]

You might have done this already, at least mentally, but it can be hugely helpful to write down the list of evidence that this is TMS. I found the Appendix in Alan Gordon’s book enormously helpful here - I went through it and jotted down the ways all but one of his TMS indicators applied to me. It was as if he’d written it just for me!

You’ll come to a video of Alan on Day 3 or 4 of the SEP (I think) where he explains why our brains can struggle to accept this diagnosis, and why it’s important to have an evidence list and keep re-reading it. I’ve found this a big help in reinforcing the belief and starting to reduce the doubts.

 

[Adam Coloretti (coach)]

You might have done this already, at least mentally, but it can be hugely helpful to write down the list of evidence that this is TMS. I found the Appendix in Alan Gordon’s book enormously helpful here - I went through it and jotted down the ways all but one of his TMS indicators applied to me. It was as if he’d written it just for me!

You’ll come to a video of Alan on Day 3 or 4 of the SEP (I think) where he explains why our brains can struggle to accept this diagnosis, and why it’s important to have an evidence list and keep re-reading it. I’ve found this a big help in reinforcing the belief and starting to reduce the doubts.

Perfect - was the biggest tool in my recovery by far

 

[djamesharm]

You might have done this already, at least mentally, but it can be hugely helpful to write down the list of evidence that this is TMS. I found the Appendix in Alan Gordon’s book enormously helpful here - I went through it and jotted down the ways all but one of his TMS indicators applied to me. It was as if he’d written it just for me!

You’ll come to a video of Alan on Day 3 or 4 of the SEP (I think) where he explains why our brains can struggle to accept this diagnosis, and why it’s important to have an evidence list and keep re-reading it. I’ve found this a big help in reinforcing the belief and starting to reduce the doubts.

Thank you I will!