Mr Hip Guy
Beloved Grand Eagle
I worry the same, because I am terrible about forgetting my Sarno principles and falling for new symptoms. I think for some people a regular "practice" is best.
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It's all fear.
- Thread starter Filipe2025
- Start date
I worry the same, because I am terrible about forgetting my Sarno principles and falling for new symptoms. I think for some people a regular "practice" is best.
Filipe2025
Peer Supporter
Mr Hip Guy
Beloved Grand Eagle
Frankly, it benefits the TMS mind to make us forget this stuff. I don't think that's coincidence.
Filipe2025
Peer Supporter
Yes, I'm quite sure you are right. My problem this time was due to the fact that I had more distractions 16 years ago. Also, back then, my main fear was the pain itself and being handicapped, I needed my arms to work. This time I have much more to fear, I feel alone, I fear not finding anyone. John Sarno talked about getting old. How it affects us. I never needed glasses, I still had all my teeth, etc. on the other hand I feel different. I think TMS is taking advantage of that. Maybe relapses are needed. This is powerful stuff. The brain can do literally what he wants, so you don't deal with theses emotions
Mr Hip Guy
Beloved Grand Eagle
This is why my go-to advice for dealing with TMS symptoms are:
- Read, and re-read, Sarno (and Ozanich and whoever else works for you)
- Go back to the Sarno Daily Reminders often
- Listen to podcasts on TMS recovery
- Read success stories in this forum
I'd also add that I keep a diary of sorts and I refer back to it when I start having symptoms. The problem with that is sometimes symptoms are new and "sneak up" on me and I forget they might be TMS. If you're not thinking of them as TMS you won't check your diary. That's why it is best to have a regular "practice" of the above bullets and whatever other treatments work for you (like journaling, meditation, etc).
- Read, and re-read, Sarno (and Ozanich and whoever else works for you)
- Go back to the Sarno Daily Reminders often
- Listen to podcasts on TMS recovery
- Read success stories in this forum
I'd also add that I keep a diary of sorts and I refer back to it when I start having symptoms. The problem with that is sometimes symptoms are new and "sneak up" on me and I forget they might be TMS. If you're not thinking of them as TMS you won't check your diary. That's why it is best to have a regular "practice" of the above bullets and whatever other treatments work for you (like journaling, meditation, etc).
Filipe2025
Peer Supporter
By the way, I would like to ear the opinions from the people of this forum that are older than me (I'm 52) concerning something, that is giving me a lot of stress, in the last couple of years. I feel like I don't have time for doing anything. I mean, is it normal with age, that life seems like be running in a speed we cannot catch as we used to? Is this normal with age? I guess it is, but sometimes I think it Is due to anxiety. I guess it has to do with old age, it gives me rage, because I feel to damn slow. I feel Ike an hour today, is like 15 minutes, in the past. It makes me anxious, because I don't want to "loose the train'. It also scares me, because I think this sensation has increased dramatically. I think old age is finally getting to me. I cannot see well, I cannot memorise things, names, etc. well my hair is almost totally white, I guess we old from inside as well . The psychological conflict of anxiety is "too slow". How do you accept that you are getting slow, I'm every aspects of your life, without feeling furious about it? And I wake up much earlier than I use to.
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Time seems to accelerate as we age primarily because our brains process fewer unique visual and mental memories over time. Groundbreaking neurological studies from LiveScience and mental health insights from Psychology Today reveal that this phenomenon is driven by a combination of memory, mathematics, and brain processing speed.
The main reasons we experience this sensation include:
Information and Memory (The "Drop Pins" Theory): The brain measures time by the number of new memories it creates. In childhood, everything is new, so the brain logs dense details and distinct memories. In adulthood, daily life becomes more routine, leaving fewer unique mental "pins" to look back on. Fewer memories make a year feel like it passed in a flash.
Mathematics (The Proportional Theory): First suggested in 1897 by French philosopher Paul Janet, this "log time" theory points out that a single year represents a much smaller fraction of your total life. For a 5-year-old, a year is 20% of their existence. By age 50, that same 365 days is only 2% of your life, making it feel proportionally shorter.
Neural Processing Speed: A study analyzing brain scans revealed that older adults' brains shift to new activity states less frequently than younger brains do. Because your neural network processes fewer distinct images and transitions in the exact same period, your subjective experience of time is vastly faster.
Fortunately, you can consciously slow down time by stepping out of your routine and intentionally forcing your brain to take in new information. Taking up new hobbies, learning skills, or traveling helps your brain build new memories, which expands your subjective perception of time.
The main reasons we experience this sensation include:
Information and Memory (The "Drop Pins" Theory): The brain measures time by the number of new memories it creates. In childhood, everything is new, so the brain logs dense details and distinct memories. In adulthood, daily life becomes more routine, leaving fewer unique mental "pins" to look back on. Fewer memories make a year feel like it passed in a flash.
Mathematics (The Proportional Theory): First suggested in 1897 by French philosopher Paul Janet, this "log time" theory points out that a single year represents a much smaller fraction of your total life. For a 5-year-old, a year is 20% of their existence. By age 50, that same 365 days is only 2% of your life, making it feel proportionally shorter.
Neural Processing Speed: A study analyzing brain scans revealed that older adults' brains shift to new activity states less frequently than younger brains do. Because your neural network processes fewer distinct images and transitions in the exact same period, your subjective experience of time is vastly faster.
Fortunately, you can consciously slow down time by stepping out of your routine and intentionally forcing your brain to take in new information. Taking up new hobbies, learning skills, or traveling helps your brain build new memories, which expands your subjective perception of time.
Interesting stuff!
Filipe2025
Peer Supporter
Thanks. Sometimes I feel obsolete.
How do you fight loneliness, or the fear/anger of being always lonely. It seems like life wants you alone
feduccini
Beloved Grand Eagle
Mr Hip Guy
Beloved Grand Eagle
Bloodmoon gave you a great answer on this but you also want to consider this. As you get older you become alot more aware of all that needs to be done! When you're young and naive, you are blessedly ignorant of much of that and can more easily relax.
Somewhat related - I am a similar age and I always say I can't take a "stay-cation" (meaning a vacation spent at home) because there are so many chores and jobs staring at me at all times. I know alot of that is on me, but I can't help it. I can better relax by going somewhere else where all that pressure is removed.
Filipe2025
Peer Supporter
After loosing my crown tooth, and having the root of the rest of the tooth remove, without any need for that (I was afraid this throat choking sensation was due to the fact that my tooth had a root canal), after all this major (almost a year) relapse, the subsequent return of my chronic pain, that follows, I finally can say that this was all TMS (the globus). It is good to know it. I knew about TMS, I studied it, I overcome it, I was 17 years younger, but I never thought it was so powerful. What really scared me this time was this Globus choking sensation. It was a new TMS equivalent to me. Anyway, I just wanna say that one cannot get rid of TMS for good as I thought in the past. The human condition is inherent to TMS. This experience gave me more control over TMS than before. In the past I just try to think of something else, now I deal with the emotions, such as anger, fear, and achieve piece, you always do. We have to accept life for what it is. I'm still alone, and it makes me sad, scared, but you have to trust life, and that good things will come, like they always did. Getting old is hard, but John Sarno already approach it.
Now I feel also angry for removing the rest of my tooth, the root. I still payed money for that. How could I be such an idiot?!?! Now I have a big gap, a scar, that annoys me all the time...
I think nowadays, it's even more difficult, if you want to be with other people. Also, the generation differences are massive, the clash, the internet, IA, chatGPT, no wonder one feels obsolete
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Ps: the other day I start talking to a foreigner, then I asked her, why did you come to Portugal? Do you like the warmth of the people, the culture, the history of the Portuguese? She replied to me short, "no, I came here because of lower taxes"... This is the kind of people you see living here today, digital nomads, drowned in their laptops, they don't talk to you, they live inside their smartphones, computers, it is so sad
Now I feel also angry for removing the rest of my tooth, the root. I still payed money for that. How could I be such an idiot?!?! Now I have a big gap, a scar, that annoys me all the time...
I think nowadays, it's even more difficult, if you want to be with other people. Also, the generation differences are massive, the clash, the internet, IA, chatGPT, no wonder one feels obsolete
.Ps: the other day I start talking to a foreigner, then I asked her, why did you come to Portugal? Do you like the warmth of the people, the culture, the history of the Portuguese? She replied to me short, "no, I came here because of lower taxes"... This is the kind of people you see living here today, digital nomads, drowned in their laptops, they don't talk to you, they live inside their smartphones, computers, it is so sad
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feduccini
Beloved Grand Eagle
You do know Portuguese companies are in an intense search for foreign specialized workforce, right? (IT, engineering etc.)
Also, smartphone addiction is everywhere, it's not generational anymore. I forgot the name of this great English urban photographer who retired, and when asked why, he replied urban photography is becoming increasingly uninteresting due to everyone looking at their cell phones.
It became a shield for the slightest feeling of discomfort.
Sita
Beloved Grand Eagle
Yes, it's sad. They are everywhere. And they have no empathy. And that's the way it is. Nothing you can do about it.
You have some gold right here. Try to keep it front of mind. Rather than the trivialities of life.
And for the record, I have a friend who moved to Portugal from the US and absolutely loves it. She immerses herself in the culture and the people as much as she can.
Cactusflower
Beloved Grand Eagle
I have empathy for those that MUST work from their devices. My husband does, long hours of work that can only be done on devices. He always has his phone in his pocket because the nature of his job is that his staff must be able to contact him.
My nephew also has a job that is only online. He has searched and searched for comparably paying jobs that don't require as much device time, and can not find one that will allow a living wage. He often has to go to cafe's to work, since his partner's job is creating costumes for entertainers and it's often noisy and busy at home with the customers coming and going. Not surprisingly, my nephew has had episodes of TMS. What has helped him immensely is joining in a group dance activity where people are busy dancing and so they can't really be on their devices. They need to interact. He loves it, and even though it is really challenging for him, he's begun to find his niche in that world. As a person who used to feel judged and excluded from things, and became rather negative and judgement towards others, he now has a way to connect positively with people who have a like mind.
My social circle is similar: I kept attending similar events and would meet people over and over until over time, we became more friendly. It's a much better atmosphere than trying to connect with a random stranger. Frankly, as a woman, I've never been comfortable with random strangers because inevitably if they were men, they'd hit on me. Conversely, most of my friends are men I met through our shared interests without objectifying me.
Why not find a group that helps you broaden your friendships through shared interests? My neighbor goes to a bird watching group and to art classes. I like live music which lead me to a large group of friends and I get invited to parties and events all the time ... everyone will invite you to see their band! My other neighbor is very elderly and disabled but goes out to coffee and to play cards with a group of men he met through his Veterans connections after moving here.
There is opportunity out there but you must see it. You see it beyond your negative inclinations, and you choose to re-set your outlook and mindset and how you choose to be in the world, it needs to be honest to your values, but it doesn't have to always be viewed as limiting or exclusion. Perhaps you just need to find the right place and give things like developing friendships time.
My nephew also has a job that is only online. He has searched and searched for comparably paying jobs that don't require as much device time, and can not find one that will allow a living wage. He often has to go to cafe's to work, since his partner's job is creating costumes for entertainers and it's often noisy and busy at home with the customers coming and going. Not surprisingly, my nephew has had episodes of TMS. What has helped him immensely is joining in a group dance activity where people are busy dancing and so they can't really be on their devices. They need to interact. He loves it, and even though it is really challenging for him, he's begun to find his niche in that world. As a person who used to feel judged and excluded from things, and became rather negative and judgement towards others, he now has a way to connect positively with people who have a like mind.
My social circle is similar: I kept attending similar events and would meet people over and over until over time, we became more friendly. It's a much better atmosphere than trying to connect with a random stranger. Frankly, as a woman, I've never been comfortable with random strangers because inevitably if they were men, they'd hit on me. Conversely, most of my friends are men I met through our shared interests without objectifying me.
Why not find a group that helps you broaden your friendships through shared interests? My neighbor goes to a bird watching group and to art classes. I like live music which lead me to a large group of friends and I get invited to parties and events all the time ... everyone will invite you to see their band! My other neighbor is very elderly and disabled but goes out to coffee and to play cards with a group of men he met through his Veterans connections after moving here.
There is opportunity out there but you must see it. You see it beyond your negative inclinations, and you choose to re-set your outlook and mindset and how you choose to be in the world, it needs to be honest to your values, but it doesn't have to always be viewed as limiting or exclusion. Perhaps you just need to find the right place and give things like developing friendships time.
Another great post though I'm just here to say that is a cool job!!
I'm not a phone person but I am in the technology business and am on my computer for a good 10-12 hours per day which is just as bad. Approaching retirement and trying to figure out how to wean myself. Both from my work as my identity and my computer routine.
Rusty Red
Well known member
I'm not seeing the equivalency here.....
Also I have to be on the computer all day for work. It's kind of the direction the world has taken.
feduccini
Beloved Grand Eagle
Well, I think there needs to be a distinction here between using the device for work/study (or even entertainment like watching a movie) and using it for social media addiction and doomscrolling.
But not to sidetrack and keep the conversation on the loneliness problem of smartphone addiction, one thing that hits me kinda hard is that people are losing their general curiosity for everything. You say something online and get a lot of lols, emojis, memes, but nobody asks why that thing happened. And if you don't have anyone to have a good talk in real life from time to time, well it gets really sad and dark.
But not to sidetrack and keep the conversation on the loneliness problem of smartphone addiction, one thing that hits me kinda hard is that people are losing their general curiosity for everything. You say something online and get a lot of lols, emojis, memes, but nobody asks why that thing happened. And if you don't have anyone to have a good talk in real life from time to time, well it gets really sad and dark.