Knowledge v Belief and doing the work.

[Huckleberry]

I'm just after some forum members opinion on the idea that knowledge is the penicillin required to eradicate TMS.

I have to say I find it very frustrating at times to read testimonials of those who have been cured or who are now living with a vastly reduced level of pain who state that they read two chapters of Healing Back Pain and that their pain miraculously dissipated...obviously I'm glad for them but do get dispirited that this is not my experience.

I am in the situation of knowing all about TMS even before my LB/leg pain began but all this knowledge and smarts seems to count for nowt for me...I can only assume its because I still haven't fully 'bought into' the TMS diagnosis as relating to me in relation to MY pain.

This brings me onto the point of the post. Time and time again I read it said that healing/recovery/improvement is pretty much next to impossible until we 100% accept that our pain is psychosomatic in nature but what if we can't get to that 100% point are we forever locked into the syndrome?

I do think that my main issue is the tendency to obsess and ruminate over the technical and theoretical aspects of TMS and in particular how this could relate to me...its like I constantly search for that nugget of wisdom that will allow me to accept the TMS diagnosis, the thing is even if I had that I'm still not sure that for whatever reason I would commit to the recognised healing pathway.

I saw my GP today in a bit of a tailspin of worry as my back pain seems to be becoming more chronic and more elevated...I'm also noticing some new aching on the other side of my back and now my neck has started to ache at time and become stiff. I suggested an MRI but she was reluctant to go down this route as she knows my history of health anxiety and feels that this could actually open a can of worms which does make sense to me...I expressed my worry but she did dispel this somewhat when she advised that if something ominous was going on for over 3 years then there would be other factors at play. I think she is of the opinion that my pain is psychosomatic in nature bearing in mind my history of somatisation but its just so frustrating that this pain just feels so much more physical in nature than my other issues that have now resolved and now appears to be so chronic with no sign of improvement.

I've read every TMS book going and feel that the concept makes total sense but I just can't take that leap of faith and believe it applies to me...the weird thing is I don't have much choice as the other avenues are rather limited but for whatever reason I'm floundering.

Cheers for reading guys and any thoughts or opinions hugely appreciated.

 

[Ryan]

That's a tough question to answer but I will give you my opinion. If you keep searching for the magic bullet to cure you, will only delay healing. As Ozanich said you can't just search for one thing and expect to be healed. This is a life long and life changing journey. You need to have faith in yourself that you can heal, you will be the very reason you heal. Others may help you along the way but ultimately you will heal yourself along with a higher power.

Don't know if your a spiritual person or believe in a higher power, but asking god to help you for where your at is powerful. We cannot make it through this life alone. He is always there to help you, let go and have faith everything will be ok.

I suggest you also read "Hope and help for your nerves", to help with your fears of the pain and learning acceptance.

Just keep believing in yourself and let go of the doubt. Live life in the present moment and enjoy each day. Be thankful for all the things you can do and have. Get out and connect with people and find your purpose in life, we all have one.

Wishing you the best of luck and hang in there, it will get better. your doctor has given you some great advice in not thinking its structural. It takes some people a long time to heal so I would not be discourage. We are what we believe.

Ryan

 

[Cap'n Spanky]

Hey Huckleberry,

I can relate to many of the things you are saying. 98% of the time I'm very confident that I have TMS and totally believe in the things Dr. Sarno espouses. But everyone once in a while I'll start to question things. I think that kind of self-doubt is only natural and is actually healthy.

I won't bore you with all the history of my recovery, except to has been a long process. Now I am pain free and free of chronic fatigue (not to mention free of other stuff). Am I perfect now?? No, just a lot better. But here's my point. I only got better as soon as I got FED UP. Fed up with the doctors ...with the rumination... with the symptoms.... and the fear of symptoms; and screamed out loud... I've had it with this shit!!! This is TMS!!! But I was only ready to say this... when I was ready.

As Ryan said in his excellent post above, it takes some of us a long time. Don't get discouraged. I would suggest surrounding yourself with all things TMS. Continue to read the books and study some of the other great sources around here. Start journaling and studying how your emotions are connected to your body and pain. Throw yourself into it. Fake it till you make it, as they say.

Good luck!!

 

[Huckleberry]

Thanks for the replies guys...really appreciated.

Spanky...hmm, I do think I've got to totally fed up point but maybe I'm not quite as low as I need to go...time will tell I suppose.

When you talk about just faking it till you make it I think you cut to the crux of my question. Everything I've read etc regarding TMS does suggest that this course of action is doomed to failure as you cannot fake/fool your subconscious. I think this is now a major hang up for me. I do have the very typical Type A trait of feeling that everything has to be perfect/in place before I commit to something. Of course this has repercussions regarding accepting a TMS diagnosis and moving forward as I don't think that this ideal situation will ever exist. Even though I've had the TMS smarts for about 5 years this has only ever sunk in on a rational level.

Maybe you are right and the fake it approach is beneficial and worth committing to as surely that is better than the current situation.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Fake believing it's TMS? I don't know... I think it's best to keep working on believing 100 percent that your symptoms are TMS.
If you try to fake your subconscious, you're really trying to fool yourself.

Believing 100 percent in TMS causing our pain is maybe the hardest part of TMS healing. It took me a long time.

 

[Cap'n Spanky]

Huckleberry -

I hesitated on saying the "fake it till you make it" thing. It's something they say in AA to help people who have trouble acepting they are an alchoholic and it works for many folks. Sometimes if we act as if we beleive, eventually we really beleive. Acting as if means doing all the leg work with conviction and as much belief as you can muster.

You say you are fed up and I'm sure you are. I was very fed up with all my ailments a long time before I recovered. But in my experience, there came a breaking point and an epiphany where I put the doubts behind me. The doubts became small and trivial in contrast to the amazing rewards of recovery.

Just by coming here and talking about it you are doing the right thing! Maybe working wifh a TMS therapist would help you work past your doubts.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

I agree it is frustrating to read that some people heal just by reading a part of Dr. Sarno'ds Healing Back Pain.
The miracle didn't happen for me, but it has for some lucky others. I do consider myself lucky for spending more time
with TMS knowledge and journaling because it led me to learn more about myself and the causes of my TMS
that went way back to my childhood, and that led to forgiving.

But if you're discouraged about your healing progress, I suggest you take advantage of the free support service
offered by TMSWiki, the "Ask a TMS Therapist" program.

Anyone can submit their own question by using the following form: http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/forms/ask-a-tms-therapist.1/respond . Since the answerers are therapists, the best questions will be about psychological healing.

 

[angelic333]

Huckleberry,
Dr. Sarno says in a The Divided Mind that blind faith is just another placebo. We can understand all this TMS stuff on an intellectual level, but it takes full BELIEF and ACCEPTANCE of the diagnosis for yourself to see lasting results. The inability to accept the diagnosis is another of the subconscious strategies to maintain the process. The doubt keeps the syndrome going.
I have found, and only in the past few days, being proactive with my emotions, rather than reactive to the pains, to be very helpful. Also, having faith in God, asking Him for guidance, has helped me to be open to it.
Keep trying. You can heal.
Blessings, Angel