My first TMS occurrence happened 17 years ago. It was a total body pain scenario. After many many doctor's visits, MRIs, drugs, braces etc. I finally found Dr. Sarno, began a meditation practice, changed parts of my life to manage stress, met with a Psychologist, and pain disappeared. Three times since then the TMS has come back. Surprisingly, each time the pain has hit a different part of my body and for about 6 months I'm fooled into thinking its a really injury (I do a lot of intense working out). Then when I do remember I have TMS I'm able to resolve it. Except now I'm being challenged. My current TMS started about 11 months ago in my glutes/SI joint. For about 6 months I figured it was due to golf/working out and went to PT. Bad idea. They convinced me I need to be careful, walk different, do specific exercises, not strain myself. The pain got worse. I finally re-read Sarno, Hanscom, Siegel (all my favorite books) and immediately started to get better. Although this time around the pain is being very stubborn. I'm starting to panic a bit, which is weird because I really believe strongly in TMS. For some reason, the process is working more slowly this time.
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Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
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Diana-M
Beloved Grand Eagle
@Gojab
Hi! I have a similar history as you. Past episodes of TMS I was able to banish. Then, my most recent attack has lingered. Very stubborn. I’ve been on the forum more than a year, and I’ve observed that this can and does happen to a lot of veteran TMSers. Sometimes things just catch up with you. Also, since you were afraid at first, the pain settled in as a conditioned response. Stick with what you know, and keep doing the things you know will work. Do you journal? You’ll get out of this.
Hi! I have a similar history as you. Past episodes of TMS I was able to banish. Then, my most recent attack has lingered. Very stubborn. I’ve been on the forum more than a year, and I’ve observed that this can and does happen to a lot of veteran TMSers. Sometimes things just catch up with you. Also, since you were afraid at first, the pain settled in as a conditioned response. Stick with what you know, and keep doing the things you know will work. Do you journal? You’ll get out of this.
JanAtheCPA
Beloved Grand Eagle
Well, you're not alone, @Gojab. This is a familiar story which I've been seeing more and more often, especially since 2020. And I have a particular bias in place due to my own experience of a major setback five years ago, so I always start by reminding the individual of two things:
1. The innate rage that we all carry about aging and mortality is a prime candidate for emotional repression.
2. Some things get better with age, but the current condition of the world does not seem to be one of them. Massive uncertainty about things over which we have absolutely no control is another significant rage-inducer and subject of emotional repression, second only to mortality.
I recommend getting into the habit of emotional writing. You can learn it from our Structured Educational Program (on the tmswiki.org main site), or from Nicole Sachs ("JournalSpeak" on her website) or Dr David Hanscom ("expressive writing" on his website).
If you never engaged in a program, it's highly recommended to do so.
Thanks Diana! I thought I dealt with all my rage in 2020, so it confuses me why TMS keeps coming back. You make a great point about world events always changing things so I could use a r-do. I do emotional writing along the Hanscom method, and I started doing the structural educational program, but it seems too basic based on what I've done in the past. I'll stick with the SEP but thinking I need something more advanced.
Cactusflower
Beloved Grand Eagle
The first time I did the SEP I felt the same way. My anxiety and nervous system were so stuck in overdrive it took me awhile to recognize that it was more my ability to be available to vulnerability than the SEP - so I did it a second time with raw open vulnerability.
Now I use more of what @Baseball65 describes as his “method” which is to write a list of his conscious rage makers and examine them for how they fit into old patterns of behavior and thought. Our minds seem to often try to slide into old habits in sneaky ways. This helps suss out what’s really might be going on in the depths and simply acknowledging and accepting that TMS isn’t an “illness” to be conquered or “cured” but simply a normal function of humanity that simply slides some of us into overdrive.
Diana-M
Beloved Grand Eagle
Have you checked out Nicole Sachs? Her approach is pretty hard core. She has a new book out. A podcast. She doesn’t mess around.
JanAtheCPA
Beloved Grand Eagle
Nicole's website is https://www.yourbreakawake.com/ (BreakAwake)
She has a page there that provides her guidelines for JournalSpeak, and as Diana aptly describes, Nicole is pretty hard core! Her new book incorporates the latest brain science that Dr Sarno did not have access to, while continuing to fully embrace Dr Sarno's essential teachings.
That being said, I would also pay close attention to what @Cactusflower is telling you. Ultimately, it is NOT about finding a new resource or technique. It is definitely about being vulnerable to the true conflict that is underneath the symptoms.
She has a page there that provides her guidelines for JournalSpeak, and as Diana aptly describes, Nicole is pretty hard core! Her new book incorporates the latest brain science that Dr Sarno did not have access to, while continuing to fully embrace Dr Sarno's essential teachings.
That being said, I would also pay close attention to what @Cactusflower is telling you. Ultimately, it is NOT about finding a new resource or technique. It is definitely about being vulnerable to the true conflict that is underneath the symptoms.