1. Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
Our TMS drop-in chat is tomorrow (Saturday) from 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern (***NOTE*** now on US Daylight Time). It's a great way to get quick and interactive peer support, with Steve2 as your host. Look for the red Chat flag on top of the menu bar!

Help me ponder this philosophical problem I'm having...

Discussion in 'Support Subforum' started by Hopeful83, Oct 7, 2015.

  1. Hopeful83

    Hopeful83 New Member

    To start I need to let you know that I've been doing really very well lately. I've gone from 8-12 migraines a month to 4-8 over the past two months since I was introduced to TMS wiki.
    Journaling, thinking psychological, deep breathing and body scanning have been helpful to me. I even am tapering off my daily prophylactic medication!
    I recently finished reading Sarno's book, The Mindbody Prescription, and had 10 headache free days! In fact, my first headache when I started reading the book came on in the morning, I forced myself out of bed, went to a really inspiring lecture with my mom like I was planning to do and the headache was gone by 11:30am! I was very empowered and then had 10 headache free days!
    The next couple headaches I had after finishing the book, I was having trouble talking myself through the headache. On the one hand, I was thinking psychological, telling myself it was whatever stress or rage I was encountering at the time triggering my headache and that I had to go about my day.
    I found that I was getting more enraged by the idea that I have TMS and that now I have to fight through the pain (because as we know, the more power we give the pain , the more control it has over us). I felt myself feeling very invalidated that I had this headache and that I was supposed to just force myself out if bed and resume physical activity through the pain. I knew that it was doable because I had done it before but I didn't feel as string. I found a huge part of me just wanting to wallow in my pain, go to bed as usual and take a break from the day I'd have to face with pain. In the end I took my medicine and a nap :( (and was fine within 2 hours like usual)
    Can I get some wisdom to get over this hurdle?
     
  2. Ellen

    Ellen Beloved Grand Eagle

    You are doing so well! Give yourself a break when needed and take medicine and a nap. Then keep working on your TMS. Recovery doesn't usually progress in a linear manner. We make progress, and then may take a step back. It's part of the process.

    When I was still working on my migraines, I found that I needed to address the symptoms pretty early on with TMS techniques. Once the headache was full blown, it was almost impossible for me to get rid of. So I would do what I needed to do at the early signs, then forget about it. The migraine would go away only when I had shifted my attention away from it. I found talking to my brain the most effective strategy early on--"Stop it brain. I am completely healthy and strong. You don't need to create pain as a distraction. I'm willing to look at and feel my feelings. So just knock it off." Kind, but firm worked best for me.

    Congratulations on all your success. You are on the road to full recovery!
     
  3. JanAtheCPA

    JanAtheCPA Beloved Grand Eagle

    Can't do better than Ellen's advice, Hopeful! And I agree, you are doing great! Don't beat up on yourself, congratulate yourself for your progress, and promise yourself that you deserve this success. Then believe it. Loving yourself is powerful medicine.
     

Share This Page