Hi NIClubber,
It's great that you feel you are making progress, but don't forget that you don't always have to discover and exorcise the "thing" that gave rise to your TMS, indeed many people don't, but still recover. TMS is caused by being chronically tense, which may have it's roots in a particular event giving rise to unacceptable feelings, but it's perpetuated by fear of the symptoms themselves and all the negative "what if" conversations you have in your head.
Speaking from experience, I'd take a break from journalling about past events and concentrate on your current emotions, and what is going on in your life NOW.
Don't forget that TMS is a distraction, which can be very devious and inventive. Even journalling to work on your TMS can act as a distraction in itself. A paradox I know, but it can happen.
I was very sick with full blown fibromyalgia, chronic migrianes and crippling anxiety, but have come such a long way. I'm now mostly OK, but can have occasional flare-ups when very upset. I'm just heading out of one now, after a very diffcult few months with my mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, which is unfortunately progressing rather more quickly than we had hoped. Even so, my flare-ups are nothing like as bad as I was before I knew about TMS.
Change is what is needed to improve your symptons, you are alive now, what happened with your friend was sad and has obvioulsy had a profound effect on you, but once you have shed light on it and accepted it, it should be left in the past where it belongs. You need to work on how it's effecting you NOW, and work on ways to make you feel calmer and more fulfilled. Even small changes to routine can have a significant impact in getting your brain out of the pain habit.
Below is a short list of reminders, which helped me along the way :
- Understanding the process and losing fear of your symptoms is THE key to recovery.
- You don't have to uncover all your unconscious emotions.
- Blaming others gives away your power.
- It's your reactions to events which cause symptoms, not the events themselves.
- Don't put pressure on yourself to do this TMS healing thing "right", just feel your way through it.
- Don't beat yourself up for having "been so stupid, as to let yourself have TMS". That's the thing that held me back the longest.
- Treat yourself with compassion.
- If you have a bad day, don't over analyse it.
- Try to live in the moment and appreciate the good things in your life.
- You have oversensitized your autonomic nervous system, only calming your thoughts down will calm it down, nothing else.
- Stop scaring yourself with negative self talk. It's mostly nonsense anyway, pay no attention to it.
If you haven't already I would recommend that you read "The Great Pain Deception" by Steve Ozanich, it was a huge help to me. Also "Self Help For Your Nerves" by Claire Weekes, don't be put of by the title.
I hope maybe some of what I've said if helpful to you.
Just go easy on yourself and you'll be fine.
Bless you
