Help! TMS attack!

hello! Back in 2014 I had a 7-8 month spell with horrible back pain, could barely walk, etc etc etc. Read Sarno and various other books, recovered nicely and have been fine since. A couple of incidents, each of which passed without too much worry. Just followed the standard protocol of “thinking psychological.”

This morning however...I was at the gym, doing a moderate workout. During deadlifts at around 275lbs (my max is over 400), I got one of those “ouch!” moments. Not wanting to cave, I continued lifting a bit at a lower weight. The pain and increased tension wasn’t too bad but it was definitely there.

4 hours later though, and after doing a mental inventory and writing out some thoughts and feelings, and the pain is actually worse! Like, I can’t walk more than a few steps without freezing up.

Any tips on how I should be thinking or ways to handle this?

Thank you!

 

Hi bgutting,

Many people who have a relatively easy recoveries initially find themselves "in deeper" later, when more depth work might be helpful. I think this is too early to tell, frankly. There are free programs at the Wiki. Also, knowing that you're prone to TMS, when you recover, you might consider the recommended daily or regular "doses" of Dr. Sarno like the 12 reminders or reading quotes or passages which resonate with you.

Wanting the pain to stop quickly only tends to prolong it, so my advice is "know it is TMS, and relax" as best you can for a while. And doing the programs at the Wiki can always help, especially if you do them more as a learning practice, rather than as a "cure" practice, because of the tendency of fear and urgency about symptoms to exacerbate them.

Hope this helps a little.

Andy B

 

Andy—that’s very helpful, thanks! I’m of course hoping the pain goes away quickly and can easily see that such a mentality could just prolong it. Diving back into the Wiki sounds really useful, and the 12 Daily Reminders are gold dust.

 

Hi Andyb, bgutting,

"In deeper" later.

This was so true for me. My lower back recovery in 2000 basically allowed me to get on with life and even take up windsurfing. Then in 2011 I discovered the TMS Forum. During the 11 years my neck whether partly physical and/or Tension raised its ugly head. TMS moved slowly but surely to a new location. The TMS bug thought I wouldn't notice. TMS thinking has become a way of life as I look for the truth in everything around me.