Day 16: just one friend...

Day 16 asks if you have shared your diagnosis of MBS with others. I have with people I am close with, when people ask. I have been amazed at how many people actually say they believe that the mind affects the body

My big support has come from people on this forum and one friend around the corner. I was shocked he cured himself 10 years ago by reading and rereading Dr. Sarno's book. He was the last person I would have thought would have accepted MBS. His wife saw his experience so she gets it too. In fact he had a brief relapse recently and realized it was due to knowing he had to let two people go in the new year. He said with a big smile on his face "god am I weak!"

I am about to make a career change. He said "no wonder you are messed up. The truth will set you free." He was referring to the fact that I giving notice next week.

Just one person to believe and support you, it is all you need.

 

Your post gives us all inspiration. I love it that you tell how your neighbor cured himself after reading about TMS from Dr. Sarno's book, and that his pain came from knowing he had to lay off two employees in the new year. He wasn't weak, just sensitive to what that meant to those being laid off. Being sensitive to how we affect others can bring on TMS, we all know.

Changing jobs can be very stressful, so keep positive about going into something better. I hope you have a new job to go to, otherwise I suggest you put off giving notice until you are sure about the new job. It was advice my father gave me years ago and I always followed it.

Also, how secure will the new job be? If you're not convinced about that, better stay put. Maybe these questions are giving you TMS, and that's understandable.

 

Walt,
Thanks for the thoughts. No question my symptoms are tied to this change. My fears and negative patterns want to hold me in something that appears more safe and secure but leaves my instinct to help people unfulfilled. My desire to not be away from my family so much unmet. In fact my walking pain told me exactly that when I asked its purpose: to keep me from moving forward.

It is secure in that I will be working with someone I have known a long time and have discussed working together for a long time. The insecurity is that I will for the first few years be on commission but we have been saving for this day and my confidence that it will work out is strong.

though I'm not without some doubts, If I wait for perfect I will wait forever. I am fortunate to have the circumstances that make it possible to go on this adventure. I am embracing my good fortune and not taking it for granted.

Be well

 

Hi, David. Dr. Sarno says in his video (hope you will watch it and all the way through -- Herbie posted it in the general forum) that we think our pain comes from walking or standing or sitting, but it goes to whatever part of our body we think it goes to. My back pain was from walking. Very little from standing and none at all from sitting.

It's strange, but we condition ourselves to think the pain is, in our case, from walking.

We just have to keep convincing ourselves our pain is from one or more repressed emotions and not from anything
structural while we're walking. Not easy to do, but that's what our job is in order to heal.

Changing jobs is probably a main cause or the main cause of your pain... worry is an emotion, whether feeling it
or repressing it. Keep positive that the new job, even if not salaried but on commission, is going to work out for you.
It's really good you will be working with someone you know and both have wanted to work together for a long time.

 

Thanks Walt. I know intellectually that the walking doesn't cause the pain. It is still sinking into my subconscious that I'm not going to avoid the feelings just because I have pain.

It is the repressed part that may or may not be an issue for me. I have identified with most of the classic TMS personality traits and childhood issues. I do wonder if there are other emotions I have exposed yet, if I haven't fully realized the intensity of some or if it's just a matter of time.