Is Pain a Distraction or a Messenger?

Maybe it doesn’t matter in order to overcome symptoms, but do you think TMS is the brain’s attempt to distract you from painful emotions, or the brain’s way of telling you that you need to address your emotional health? Or both?

 

The way I see it is that it's both.

The first interpretation is based on the theory of why we have what we call TMS - which is that it's a primitive survival mechanism designed to keep us worried and alert to tangible dangers in the primitive world. The problem is that it has not adapted to the modern world with its overwhelming number of intangible stressors combined with much longer lifespans.

The second interpretation is a great technique for dealing with TMS, which is to use our symptoms as a reminder that most of us are fortunate enough to live in the physically much safer modern world. The TMS mechanism needs to be modified and controlled in order to survive the overwhelming number of mental and emotional stressors that we are bombarded with from birth, and for many more decades than our ancestors had to endure.

 

Both !
For Dr. John Sarno "unexplained" pain is a distraction provided by our brain in order to keep "incorrect", unbearable emotions hidden/buried in our subconscious.
For modern neuroscience pain (both unexplained or explained) is always a danger signal, a warning/protective message, an alarm in front of real or potential dangers coming not only from but our body ....but also from our life/mind !
For Sarno unconcious rage is the principal fuel for "unexplained" pain.
For neurosciente the main factor of pain is fear.
Both points of view are fully compatibly: distraction is a form of protection, and fear about our "enraged inner/residual child" is devastating.
Just my two cents!

 

Both. It's there to distract because I missed a message. The Message never came through until I did the TMS work... that is what people mean when they say "I sometimes MISS the pain"... some of the messages weren't 'good'.....e.g....My Marriage sucks.. This Job sucks...I really don't like hanging out with (blank), etc.