Thank you ☺just watching ,scanning over your pain feeling no fear just checking in.. instead of omg its starting the unbearable pain I can't take it anymore ,Day 10: Somatic Tracking II: Anxiety Strikes Back
A Tale of Two Fears
Steer Clear of Fears
John Madden was a Hall-of-Fame NFL broadcaster. Every season from 1979-2009, he traveled from city to city to announce the games. His first year on the job, he was flying out of Tampa, and before the plane even took off, he had a panic attack.
“You think you’re going to die,” he said, “I was sweating, shaking…the whole thing.”
A few weeks later, he got back on a plane, and had another panic attack. And then it happened a third time. After that, he bought a bus.
For the next 30 years, John Madden drove around the country, and never stepped foot on a plane again.
Blood, Sweat, and Fears
For as long as he could remember, David Burns wanted to be a doctor. While this would be an ambitious goal for most people, David had a particularly unique barrier: he had hemophobia – an extreme fear of blood.
It’s not a good sign when a doctor’s more afraid of giving a shot than a patient is of getting one.
To overcome his fear, David took an extreme step: he volunteered to draw blood at Stanford Hospital, three times a week, for two years. The more exposure he had to blood, the more his fear began diminishing…and after several months, it had completely disappeared.
David Burns went on to get his MD, and became a best-selling author and a leader in the self-esteem movement.
The Road Less Traveled
Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling, and most of the time we run away from it. We distract ourselves in whatever ways we can – drinking, smoking, stress eating, living on our phones, checking Facebook twenty times a day, watching reality TV – all to avoid facing the uncomfortable sensation of anxiety.
There are two ways you can deal with fear – you can habitually avoid it, like John Madden, or you can lean into it, like David Burns.
Somatic Tracking is a direct way of confronting your fear. Instead of running from the physical sensation of your anxiety, you embrace it.
In the following clip, Denise is able to use Somatic Tracking to regulate her anxiety, and hone a sense of safety:
So, I have two questions for you:
1. Do you avoid / run from / distract yourself from your anxiety?
2. Is it working?
When we avoid any physical sensation, we're giving our brains the message, "This feeling is dangerous." But there is another way. Simply by attending to our anxiety, we stop running. This action alone communicates a message of safety, and can help deactivate our brains' danger signals.
Unlearning Fear
Neural pathway pain arises in those with a strong mindbody connection. Not everyone can generate such powerful physical sensations with their brain. My favorite analogy for this comes from Star Wars: “The Force” is stronger in some than others. And fear is the path to the dark side.
If you can change your relationship with fear, you can develop new neural pathways and deactivate your brain’s danger signals.
Like Yoda said, “You must unlearn what you have learned.”
When you attend to the physical sensation of anxiety with genuine curiosity, you’re leaning into the fear. Your anxiety might increase, decrease, or move around. You don't need to change it, you don't need to fight it, you don't need to run. All you need you to do is watch.
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New Program Day 10: Somatic Tracking II: Anxiety Strikes Back
- Thread starter Alan Gordon LCSW
- Start date
Day 10: Somatic Tracking II: Anxiety Strikes Back
A Tale of Two Fears
Steer Clear of Fears
John Madden was a Hall-of-Fame NFL broadcaster. Every season from 1979-2009, he traveled from city to city to announce the games. His first year on the job, he was flying out of Tampa, and before the plane even took off, he had a panic attack.
“You think you’re going to die,” he said, “I was sweating, shaking…the whole thing.”
A few weeks later, he got back on a plane, and had another panic attack. And then it happened a third time. After that, he bought a bus.
For the next 30 years, John Madden drove around the country, and never stepped foot on a plane again.
Blood, Sweat, and Fears
For as long as he could remember, David Burns wanted to be a doctor. While this would be an ambitious goal for most people, David had a particularly unique barrier: he had hemophobia – an extreme fear of blood.
It’s not a good sign when a doctor’s more afraid of giving a shot than a patient is of getting one.
To overcome his fear, David took an extreme step: he volunteered to draw blood at Stanford Hospital, three times a week, for two years. The more exposure he had to blood, the more his fear began diminishing…and after several months, it had completely disappeared.
David Burns went on to get his MD, and became a best-selling author and a leader in the self-esteem movement.
The Road Less Traveled
Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling, and most of the time we run away from it. We distract ourselves in whatever ways we can – drinking, smoking, stress eating, living on our phones, checking Facebook twenty times a day, watching reality TV – all to avoid facing the uncomfortable sensation of anxiety.
There are two ways you can deal with fear – you can habitually avoid it, like John Madden, or you can lean into it, like David Burns.
Somatic Tracking is a direct way of confronting your fear. Instead of running from the physical sensation of your anxiety, you embrace it.
In the following clip, Denise is able to use Somatic Tracking to regulate her anxiety, and hone a sense of safety:
So, I have two questions for you:
1. Do you avoid / run from / distract yourself from your anxiety?
2. Is it working?
When we avoid any physical sensation, we're giving our brains the message, "This feeling is dangerous." But there is another way. Simply by attending to our anxiety, we stop running. This action alone communicates a message of safety, and can help deactivate our brains' danger signals.
Unlearning Fear
Neural pathway pain arises in those with a strong mindbody connection. Not everyone can generate such powerful physical sensations with their brain. My favorite analogy for this comes from Star Wars: “The Force” is stronger in some than others. And fear is the path to the dark side.
If you can change your relationship with fear, you can develop new neural pathways and deactivate your brain’s danger signals.
Like Yoda said, “You must unlearn what you have learned.”
When you attend to the physical sensation of anxiety with genuine curiosity, you’re leaning into the fear. Your anxiety might increase, decrease, or move around. You don't need to change it, you don't need to fight it, you don't need to run. All you need you to do is watch.
i get anxiety alot in the morning because Im always in painDay 10: Somatic Tracking II: Anxiety Strikes Back
A Tale of Two Fears
Steer Clear of Fears
John Madden was a Hall-of-Fame NFL broadcaster. Every season from 1979-2009, he traveled from city to city to announce the games. His first year on the job, he was flying out of Tampa, and before the plane even took off, he had a panic attack.
“You think you’re going to die,” he said, “I was sweating, shaking…the whole thing.”
A few weeks later, he got back on a plane, and had another panic attack. And then it happened a third time. After that, he bought a bus.
For the next 30 years, John Madden drove around the country, and never stepped foot on a plane again.
Blood, Sweat, and Fears
For as long as he could remember, David Burns wanted to be a doctor. While this would be an ambitious goal for most people, David had a particularly unique barrier: he had hemophobia – an extreme fear of blood.
It’s not a good sign when a doctor’s more afraid of giving a shot than a patient is of getting one.
To overcome his fear, David took an extreme step: he volunteered to draw blood at Stanford Hospital, three times a week, for two years. The more exposure he had to blood, the more his fear began diminishing…and after several months, it had completely disappeared.
David Burns went on to get his MD, and became a best-selling author and a leader in the self-esteem movement.
The Road Less Traveled
Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling, and most of the time we run away from it. We distract ourselves in whatever ways we can – drinking, smoking, stress eating, living on our phones, checking Facebook twenty times a day, watching reality TV – all to avoid facing the uncomfortable sensation of anxiety.
There are two ways you can deal with fear – you can habitually avoid it, like John Madden, or you can lean into it, like David Burns.
Somatic Tracking is a direct way of confronting your fear. Instead of running from the physical sensation of your anxiety, you embrace it.
In the following clip, Denise is able to use Somatic Tracking to regulate her anxiety, and hone a sense of safety:
So, I have two questions for you:
1. Do you avoid / run from / distract yourself from your anxiety?
2. Is it working?
When we avoid any physical sensation, we're giving our brains the message, "This feeling is dangerous." But there is another way. Simply by attending to our anxiety, we stop running. This action alone communicates a message of safety, and can help deactivate our brains' danger signals.
Unlearning Fear
Neural pathway pain arises in those with a strong mindbody connection. Not everyone can generate such powerful physical sensations with their brain. My favorite analogy for this comes from Star Wars: “The Force” is stronger in some than others. And fear is the path to the dark side.
If you can change your relationship with fear, you can develop new neural pathways and deactivate your brain’s danger signals.
Like Yoda said, “You must unlearn what you have learned.”
When you attend to the physical sensation of anxiety with genuine curiosity, you’re leaning into the fear. Your anxiety might increase, decrease, or move around. You don't need to change it, you don't need to fight it, you don't need to run. All you need you to do is watch.
I had a pain stimulator surgery that distroyed my life in 2007 .more and new pain that also caused me tramadic stress syndrome. This surgeon put the stimulator in the back of my head it was supposed tone in my upper back .I was scared of him .when I got home the stimulator went up by itself .my blood pressure went up sky high .I had it turned off I got sick and more pain .no surgeon would touch me where he placed it .so we went back to Los Vegas . He removed it but never talked me before surgery and didn't see him in surgery but asked if he was there she said he was
winniethepoodle
New Member
I love this idea, but I'm having trouble thinking of how this strong mindbody connection can actually be a positive. Can anyone help me think of some examples?
I like the idea of this Somatic Tracking. Can anyone help me reconcile this with Dr. Sarno's 10th daily rule which is to "shift my attention from the pain to the emotional issues". To me, that almost sounds like avoiding the pain sensations, whereas Somatic tracking seems to be the opposite, to observe the pain non judgmentally. Does Somatic tracking happen before one shifts attention to the emotional issues? Or are they synonymous? Thanks for any help.
Syl
Peer Supporter
Hey there! The way I do this is by quietly observing the physical sensations without any thought or judgement toward them. I simply allow my mind to "watch", as it were, the sensations of pain/discomfort for a few moments, like I'm a curious child checking out a new toy they just received, and then I shift my focus while allowing the pain to continue, if it wishes to. I don't make any effort to ignore it or get annoyed at it, I just exist along with it. So then I turn my focus to my mind and I ask myself: "Okay, what kind of emotions/feelings have I experienced in the last, say 24 hours?" The answer to this comes so quickly! Basically, my mind remembers my being angry a day ago because I had a heated argument with someone, or I read a piece of news which really upset me and in turn created fear in me, and this led to my feeling anxious or depressed, and so on... So I just connect the dots as they come and I write them down. And that's it. The action of writing them down usually helps to relieve me of those emotions (even if I'm no longer feeling them in the present), but I know deep inside that by going through this process my reptilian brain, who I call "Lizard", starts to calm down. So I still remain non-judgemental and get on with my day irrespective of any pain/discomfort. I do reassure Lizard that this is simply TMS and that it's unnecessary, unneeded, and unwanted, and therefore it can go away. I usually tell it to "sod off" or "bugger off" and I let it go. I do this within my mind or I vocalise it as voicing it seems more powerful.
I do all this without any expectation that the pain/discomfort will go. I don't feel disappointment if it doesn't go straight away. I don't get upset or make any judgements. It's more like I shrug my shoulders and say "Que sera, sera" (like the song), and I get on with whatever I was doing, eg. cleaning the house, watching TV, cooking, or whatever. Oftentimes, I find that the pain just goes away--it may come back later, but if it does I tell it to bugger off and then get on with whatever I was doing yet again. And if I get new sensations of pain, which I do, I go through the same process again.
Anyway, the process takes me about five minutes or so, and I now got to the point where I don't necessarily have to write down the feelings I have; I already know what they are. But if I have the time, I write them down right there and then, or I write about them later. The magic ingredient in this whole process, however, is to remain truly non-judgemental and cultivate the attitude of "whatever happens, happens".
I hope this helps.
CO for me
Newcomer
Greetings, Alan,
After dealing with chronic vertigo, dizziness and neck pain for over 20+ years, I finally happened upon the TMS diagnosis by reading books and realizing that after visits with a bazillion doctors and specialists that my issues are not all structural. The Somatic Tracking intrigues me from the viewpoint of dealing with the uncomfortable sensations rather than running away. However, perhaps I can get some guidance as to how to deal with something such as vertigo or dizziness because you can't really just keep going when it happens. If you do, you could fall down or harm yourself or others. How would you approach the process of Somatic Tracking with something like this?
I now know that what my brain sees as a corrective and protective process is my brain really trying to keep me "balanced" and to keep me going in the right direction. It really does make sense but I would rather it had been a more manageable sensation than dizziness.
Thank you for such a life changing program!
After dealing with chronic vertigo, dizziness and neck pain for over 20+ years, I finally happened upon the TMS diagnosis by reading books and realizing that after visits with a bazillion doctors and specialists that my issues are not all structural. The Somatic Tracking intrigues me from the viewpoint of dealing with the uncomfortable sensations rather than running away. However, perhaps I can get some guidance as to how to deal with something such as vertigo or dizziness because you can't really just keep going when it happens. If you do, you could fall down or harm yourself or others. How would you approach the process of Somatic Tracking with something like this?
I now know that what my brain sees as a corrective and protective process is my brain really trying to keep me "balanced" and to keep me going in the right direction. It really does make sense but I would rather it had been a more manageable sensation than dizziness.
Thank you for such a life changing program!
Maggieazee
Newcomer
I think I’m a little confused. I’ve been practicing somatic tracking for about a week and my anxiety has skyrocketed (near panic attack-levels). I don’t understand how you can “lean into” the feeling of anxiety without fear. I understand “lean in” to mean to feel that anxiety, experience it. But, if you are feeling the anxiety, how can you also observe it without fear? Anxiety = Fear. Am I misunderstanding? Thanks!
CO for me
Newcomer
I can certainly understand how you feel! I am not a specialist, just another person dealing with these issues. Some others have suggested that when you experience the fear to tell yourself that it is OK to feel the fear and that will sometimes decrease the anxiety and fear. I have issues with balance and when I felt the dizziness coming on, my anxiety would kick in big time and the associated fear of "what will I do now??" and remain all tensed up for hours waiting for it to happen again! So, I have recently tried to understand that the fear and anxiety will be there when these episodes happen and even though it is very unpleasant to experience, I immediately tell myself that it's ok to be fearful. When you tell yourself that you will be OK, it has a calming effect (at least for me). You are telling yourself that YOU are in control and not your anxiety or fear. I hope this helps a little bit.
Wonderful information. I know that it will take time to implement all theses techniques and I am trying to have an “EasydoesIt” attitude. My heart goes out to the person who had that experience with the medical system and the stimulator suggestion. This is just my experience. Doctors do the best they can according to how they have been trained. Medical schools don’t offer much on Mind Body techniques, let alone how to establish trust with their patients. That being said, I am so sad to hear your experience. Years ago, I had a spinal stimulator placed in my back. It wasn’t a great experience and it was extremely limiting and cumbersome...just my experience. In less than a year I had to have it removed because all the wires fell off the leads. My back improved as i did yoga, and slowly I got better. I am here now because of issues in my feet. And I believe this will work for me. I went through many tests and there is nothing”structural wrong” with my feet. I wholeheartedly believe in these techniques and the people teaching them .They are trained differently, and way beyond traditional medical school. I support you in whatever you decide for yourself, and please know that you are not alone. I love the information here, we must tend to ourselves in very real concrete ways that are living kind and compassionate, just like we would treat others...no judgement. Very warmly, Dumpty. Ps thank you everyone Alan and all of you on this journey, you are my lifelines!
***I, too, had a bad experience with a pain doc who dismissed me as you were. He suggested a spinal stimulator but I received little to no information and finally decided for myself that it was too invasive. Going thru' these forums is helpful for me, and I hope you can find some relief.
Excellent video! It made me realize that I was a child of little recognition, and in trying to obtain my mother's attention/love I cared for all her needs the last 13 years of her life (she lived to be 100). I never felt that I received laud but rather criticism. Today I am earning to let it go and to love myself. Thanks!
The most difficult part of the program for me. The more I do the somatic tracking, the more I fear of symptoms or get angry with them. I cannot be neutral towards them, I get upset, thinking, you are here again, I have lots to do, don't want to waste time for this, it is unpleasant etc. Besides, what can I do when I feel them while working and having to concentrate on what I have to say/teach/do? It is very multitasking...
Any ideas? Probably, my willing not to waste time to the sensations is the reason they are still here, but in real life one has to think many aspects during a social activity.
I can do it easily with pain, it was a click for me and almost always I am comfort with this. I can concentrate to other things while in pain, I feel like it came to visit and leave some moment. But it became difficult then to handle other sensations, moving around.
Any ideas? Probably, my willing not to waste time to the sensations is the reason they are still here, but in real life one has to think many aspects during a social activity.
I can do it easily with pain, it was a click for me and almost always I am comfort with this. I can concentrate to other things while in pain, I feel like it came to visit and leave some moment. But it became difficult then to handle other sensations, moving around.
Hello everyone, I have been creating videos and uploading it on my youtube channel to help people with stress, anxiety, depression, through meditation, affirmations, motivational and inspirational videos. Breathing helps, getting enough rest. Clearing your mind from negative thoughts and moving away from negative people and places. Affirmations really helps me to clear out every negative thought. So now I am more at peace and relaxed. Negativity does not affect me at all. Here is one of my videos and if you like my videos, please like, comment, subscribe and share. I am new to this forum so hope I help someone here. I have been through practically so many things in life and I could relate to all the feelings and thoughts no matter what the situation is. Throught meditation, affirmations, and prayers, this really helped me heal. Healing is a daily habit. Here is my link. Thank you once again...this is for sleep aid, insomnia, or tinnitus,
This is for affirmations,
I have a question...
"TMS arises in those with a strong mindbody connection. Not everyone can generate such powerful physical sensations with their brain"
Why is this happening? Who is prone to strong Mindbody connection? Because, I have noticed that there are people experiencing huge amount of emotions, stress, anger etc and simply feel nothing!
I also noticed that my mother has a strong Mindbody connection, she instinctively realized it some decades ago but nobody believed her !
Is it inherited or learned?
"TMS arises in those with a strong mindbody connection. Not everyone can generate such powerful physical sensations with their brain"
Why is this happening? Who is prone to strong Mindbody connection? Because, I have noticed that there are people experiencing huge amount of emotions, stress, anger etc and simply feel nothing!
I also noticed that my mother has a strong Mindbody connection, she instinctively realized it some decades ago but nobody believed her !
Is it inherited or learned?
Oh boy, do I feel your pain! That is exactly how I feel so many times in my life….and then the shame settles in. “Not good enough, why can’t I think on my feet, This is why my life sucks” and on and on. It’s a horrible feeling!
Susan Mary
New Member
This resonates deeply. I feel anxiety that is just on the edge of my awareness, often about other things besides my pain (like that I put the wrong zip code on a gift I ordered for my sister's birthday, and UPS won't let me change it, I must be a bad person, etc.) I tried the anxiety regulation exercise and it felt really good. I think I feel anxiety a lot; I think my amygdyla is working overtime. So I'm hoping I can hang in there and (1) "notice" my fear thoughts, and (2) take the time whenever I can, to give my full attention to they physical sensations.
As far as mind-body connection, for many years I have been a dancer. (Not dancing now, thanks to neuroplastic neuropathy pain). In the warmups, we do a lot of sensing what is going on in our body. Best example: I'm a TMJ person, big surprise, right? But if I tell myself, "relax your jaw," it may take a few moments, but if I keep concentrating, I can let go of the tension.
Also, sadly, I think if I have not gotten the attention I needed (one of 8 kids), I have trained myself to make use of my mind-body connection and every other tool I can muster, to avoid paying attention to myself. All of my being is trained on that. So I have a lot of undoing . . .
Thank you to the person who is "liking" my comments. I'm finding this tutorial very useful, and I'm not seeing any other place where I can gain access to it. I know a lot of the comments stopped in about 2023, but I'm going to stay on, since this is where the tutorial is.
As far as mind-body connection, for many years I have been a dancer. (Not dancing now, thanks to neuroplastic neuropathy pain). In the warmups, we do a lot of sensing what is going on in our body. Best example: I'm a TMJ person, big surprise, right? But if I tell myself, "relax your jaw," it may take a few moments, but if I keep concentrating, I can let go of the tension.
Also, sadly, I think if I have not gotten the attention I needed (one of 8 kids), I have trained myself to make use of my mind-body connection and every other tool I can muster, to avoid paying attention to myself. All of my being is trained on that. So I have a lot of undoing . . .
Thank you to the person who is "liking" my comments. I'm finding this tutorial very useful, and I'm not seeing any other place where I can gain access to it. I know a lot of the comments stopped in about 2023, but I'm going to stay on, since this is where the tutorial is.
EileenS
Well known member
Hi Susan,
I have been 'cured' from chronic pain for several years, but I still get notifications when someone replies to a post I commented on, although your reply is the first I have commented on in ages because you are willing to help yourself instead of looking for someone else to do it for you. I too found Alan's tutorial very useful in my recovery from chronic pain, centred around my neck and jaw, and IBS. Going back 9 years ago, I struggled with trying to get better from reading Dr Sarno's books and relying on input from this forum's members. The members were very active back then, but too devoted to Dr Sarno's ways in my opinion and for my needs. Then Alan Gordon put together this program and that's what finally really got me on the road to healing. I do encourage you to stick with this program all the way through. For extra help, Alan Gordon and Alon Ziv put together a podcast series 'Tell Me about your Pain'. I suspect the Curable app, which was promoted on the TMS forum when it got going, and its Curable Facebook group has somewhat replaced the active participation of this TMS forum. I haven't been on the Curable Facebook group in a few years, but Alan was a regular contributer to it and he led his own Facebook group too. The Curable app has a recovery program too, although I found this TMS forum and the recovery program better organized. By the way, what really got me completely over the IBS and chronic pain was Covid lockdown and getting into the joy of baking and cooking with my son; in other words, fully enjoying something and forgetting about the pain. That's something you really can't force yourself to do, but with this recovery program it can show you the way.
Good luck on your healing journey!
Eileen
Susan Mary
New Member
Genuine curiosity, I really like that. And I am finding that I get better at it with repetition. Not that I want to force myself into pain, haha, but that while in pain I can notice it, coexist with it, and also remember that, like a low mood, it will pass eventually. With the chronic neuropathy-induced pain I have, that is the pattern.