Hi everyone,
I have been working on the program but had not posted on the forum yet. I have suffered with migraines for around a decade if not more. Before that it was lower back pain. The migraines are preceded with shoulder and neck pain. I was always advised its posture, its laptop time, I need to make 'lifestyle changes' but nothing helped and I have slowly eliminated physical activities but also many social activities since I realized my migraines are stress related and a lot of my stress is also related to social situations.
I am convinced that TMS explains my symptoms, but I am *not* convinced I can learn to manage my anxiety and follow the principle of 'mind over matter'. I experienced a migraine in the last two weeks. It was right after a deadline, I went to the gym, and had to attend a social event which I was v stressed about - all the things I find challenging in one golden day. The pain has also moved in to my wrists in the form of cracking thumbs and cysts. Some times my wrists feel itchy. I have had cysts before but hadn't experienced them in a few years. I am also more aware of pain in my forehead. Whereas the migraines begin with a strained neck muscle, my forehead is always a mild level of strained and now that has been feeling a lot worse consistently.
I suspect I am more aware of how much anxiety I can carry, but am struggling to manage it. Trying to stick with it and keep doing mindfulness as that seems to help; but higher the anxiety the more difficult I find it to practice mindfulness well.
Is my pain psychological? Yes.
Can I learn to manage my anxiety and not get stressed by the mere act of living? Not so sure.
I have been working on the program but had not posted on the forum yet. I have suffered with migraines for around a decade if not more. Before that it was lower back pain. The migraines are preceded with shoulder and neck pain. I was always advised its posture, its laptop time, I need to make 'lifestyle changes' but nothing helped and I have slowly eliminated physical activities but also many social activities since I realized my migraines are stress related and a lot of my stress is also related to social situations.
I am convinced that TMS explains my symptoms, but I am *not* convinced I can learn to manage my anxiety and follow the principle of 'mind over matter'. I experienced a migraine in the last two weeks. It was right after a deadline, I went to the gym, and had to attend a social event which I was v stressed about - all the things I find challenging in one golden day. The pain has also moved in to my wrists in the form of cracking thumbs and cysts. Some times my wrists feel itchy. I have had cysts before but hadn't experienced them in a few years. I am also more aware of pain in my forehead. Whereas the migraines begin with a strained neck muscle, my forehead is always a mild level of strained and now that has been feeling a lot worse consistently.
I suspect I am more aware of how much anxiety I can carry, but am struggling to manage it. Trying to stick with it and keep doing mindfulness as that seems to help; but higher the anxiety the more difficult I find it to practice mindfulness well.
Is my pain psychological? Yes.
Can I learn to manage my anxiety and not get stressed by the mere act of living? Not so sure.
