Day 9 - And.... I'm not sure

Hi all

So I am on day 9 and what i have noticed is that the pain is getting progressively worse since starting the program.

I had already worked out myself at the start of the year that the low back pain was linked to bordom. When i had time on my hands to sit and relax the pain would be there so i have become as busy as i can for last past year which has helped alot.

When i read Doctor Sarno book i physically felt the muscles in my back loosen as i sat there! But now i have started the self directed program with the journalling etc the pain is getting worse and worse. I am sure it is because i am drawing too much attention to the pain and i have already watched the video on the site about not doing this but my brain will not listen.

Does anyone have any tips on how to "forget" about the program and just crack on with the day?

Thanks

Gemma

 

Hi Gemma,
I am new myself and was going through the threads looking for information that might apply to my case where I am on my 14th day and my pain has improved but is still pretty active. I came across your thread and thought I might send you this list that I got from the work I have been doing. Hope it helps!


Repeating the keys to healing

1. Try to be aware of all internal reactions

2. Act as normal and at ease (not fear) with least concern for symptoms

3. Look to see if you are emotionally uncomfortable

4. Some situations make symptoms worse because of conditioning

5. Don’t run from conditioned situations but become comfortable in them

6. Remember, mental strain of perceived stress leads to physical symptoms

7. Be aware of HABITUAL STRAIN that you don’t see

8. Be at peace with everything and do things with ease

9. Don’t expect too much in the beginning

10. Decondition mental strain though affirmations and self-talk

11. Use consistent mind power to reduce mental strain

12. Eliminate negative talk and thinking, this is negative mind power

13. Be active but don’t challenge symptoms

14. Recognize you are in this for the long haul and getting better gradually

15. You are bringing tension level set point down over time

16. Being in a rush is one of the biggest source of tension

17. Not wanting to be where you are is another big source of tension

18. Ask yourself, “Am I ok being in the situation I am in right now?”

19. “BE HERE NOW” eliminates sources of mental strain and tension

20. An URGE to be finished or get somewhere quickly = pain/symptoms

21. Act as if you have no where to go

22. Take your time and go slower

23. When rushing REMEMBER TO BREATHE

24. If you can sit in the pain observe it

25. Anything that is annoying you is a source of symptoms, just accept it

26. Don’t let symptoms annoy you if you can

27. Observe the anger, irritation, annoyance and let it go

28. Visualize the mental strain and say, “I forgive and let go easily.”

29. It may be better to recondition yourself than change your life

30. When something bothers you (Tension) try to resolve it and bring it down

31. The healing process is done very gradually with pain fading away over time

32. Gradual improvement in sx and what you are able to do is how it happens

33. YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL TO HEAL

34. DO EVERYTHING WITH PEACE, CALM, FORGIVENESS & EASE

35. NO STRAIN, NO PAIN

36. Think of the big picture rather than the details

37. DON’T THINK SO INTENSELY, CALM DOWN YOUR THINKING

38. Ask “Is this helping me calm my overly sensitized nervous system.”

39. SERIOUS, CONSISTENT, PATIENT, COMMITTED, PRACTICE

 

Hi Gemma, I too am fairly new and worked my way through the program and had three days running with minimum pain and started to think I was it-and-a-bit. Until it suddenly came crashing down and I went from neck/head pain to toes, knees, hips, lower back, wrists, shoulders etc etc. Then I realised I had the pain on the run, and I felt like “it” was throwing everything at me in a desperate attempt to fool me into giving up. I got some good tips from youtube Monte Hueftle and I now stick with 1/2 an hour in morning to do a body check etc from the program with a couple of quick self-love hugs thrown in and again in the evening. Other times through the day when I feel overwhelmed by it all, I keep reverting to “oh yeah it’s pretend pain, all OK, no danger so no fear, emotions in check, back to the business of enjoying my day”. It’s working for me. We’re all different, but it might work for you.

 

Hi Gemma,
I noticed you say your symptoms are linked to bordom. Allowing yourself time to be bored, then talking to your brain, saying," its ok, whatever you are protecting me from is important to feel." This is a perfect time to think psychological. Your brain is afraid of stopping the distraction of busyness, you want to reassure it that you are safe and it doesn't need to protect you.
Lizzy

 

Gemma, You're not wrong that your pain is a linked to boredom, but you have not yet figured out that this is not the cause of your pain.

As Dr. Sarno teaches us, the pain is created by your brain to distract you from dangerous negative emotions that it wants to repress. You can distract yourself with activity, but if you aren't distracted enough, your brain swoops in and gives you pain or other symptoms, because it doesn't want you to risk feeling and experiencing the deeper repressed emotions.

So yes, you can certainly get rid of the pain temporarily by getting out and engaging in distracting activities - we have all experienced this, and in many cases, the distractions will work for a long time - but the effect does not last, and eventually the physical symptoms will come back and be harder to banish.

To truly recover, you have to do the emotional work. We have two free resources for doing that - the Structured Educational Program, and Alan Gordon's Pain Recovery Program.

Good luck!

~Jan

 

Thank you for these amazing comments.

I just logged on for the first time this year and you have given me the boost i needed. Each and every point mentioned above will be of great help to me. I have copied them all into a word document so that i can continue to refer to them.

Thanks again

Gemma

 

Keep us posted Gemma. Everybody gets a lift when a fellow poster has a win.