James59
Well known member
I've been studying Dr. Sarno's books Healing Back Pain and The Mindbody Prescription for about six weeks now, and trying to apply his instructions as best I can. I'm not doing anything formal like journaling, rather I'm just reminding myself periodically throughout the day of what's really going on, that the pain and other symptoms are just harmless distractions and all that. So far I haven't had much pain relief, but lots of uncomfortable things are happening.
A few times a day I'll get twinges of sharp pain in various places, but I'm finding it easy to laugh them off as tricks and they go away pretty quickly. Harder to ignore is the increasing intensity of other symptoms.
One huge problem is some muscles, especially my thighs and upper arms, are frequently "locking up" and being uncooperative. I'm often feeling frozen in place until I figure out a workaround using different muscles. Sometimes if makes it very difficult to get up out of a chair. I know this is a mental issue, because if I get mentally involved in something like a good movie or good music, my flexibility returns or at least improves. It worsens, though, if I feel any kind of emotional intensity (good or bad).
Other times, like when I'm eating or typing (as I'm doing now) my lower legs just above my ankles tighten up like mad, as if I'm trying to hold on for dear life. It feels as if tightening my legs provides some sort of counterbalance to something else.
I'm also having irritable bowel issues, which have bothered me most of my adult life, but which were mostly under control for the past several years until I started practicing Dr. Sarno's instructions last month. Now some of my old troubles are back.
Finally, my sleeping patterns have become more erratic. I think the irritable bowel problems have something to do with that. I frequently awaken prematurely with an urgent need to use the toilet (sorry if this is TMI).
Intellectually, I can see these are all just more TMS-style diversions, but since they really complicate every moment of my day, they're hard to dismiss as mere distractions.
Has anyone else experienced complications like these? Am I correct in assuming this is just a phase of the healing process? Do you have any thoughts to help me get through this?
A few times a day I'll get twinges of sharp pain in various places, but I'm finding it easy to laugh them off as tricks and they go away pretty quickly. Harder to ignore is the increasing intensity of other symptoms.
One huge problem is some muscles, especially my thighs and upper arms, are frequently "locking up" and being uncooperative. I'm often feeling frozen in place until I figure out a workaround using different muscles. Sometimes if makes it very difficult to get up out of a chair. I know this is a mental issue, because if I get mentally involved in something like a good movie or good music, my flexibility returns or at least improves. It worsens, though, if I feel any kind of emotional intensity (good or bad).
Other times, like when I'm eating or typing (as I'm doing now) my lower legs just above my ankles tighten up like mad, as if I'm trying to hold on for dear life. It feels as if tightening my legs provides some sort of counterbalance to something else.
I'm also having irritable bowel issues, which have bothered me most of my adult life, but which were mostly under control for the past several years until I started practicing Dr. Sarno's instructions last month. Now some of my old troubles are back.
Finally, my sleeping patterns have become more erratic. I think the irritable bowel problems have something to do with that. I frequently awaken prematurely with an urgent need to use the toilet (sorry if this is TMI).
Intellectually, I can see these are all just more TMS-style diversions, but since they really complicate every moment of my day, they're hard to dismiss as mere distractions.
Has anyone else experienced complications like these? Am I correct in assuming this is just a phase of the healing process? Do you have any thoughts to help me get through this?
