New here and trying to figure it out

D

daisychain

New Member
Hi all, I've just joined the forum after starting to learn about TMS over the past week. Currently reading Unlearn Your Pain and watching some videos online, as well as using the Curable app.

A quick rundown of why I'm here: had an untreated UTI for 3 months (not for lack of trying to get answers believe me!) and then started on antibiotics 3 months ago - so 6 months total since my symptoms began. I've made a lot of progress but still have some symptoms despite multiple negative tests. My doctor said I may have oversensitized nerves from the infection...

At what point does one decide this is TMS? A lot of my situation seems to fit the criteria but I also wonder if it's simply that I'm still healing from the infection. I also have high anxiety levels that are probably contributing to the pain>fear cycle.
 
Welcome!
Your Dr. has already told you that your current symptoms are not able to be medically treated. This is the biggest clue you can get, besides the fact he thoughtfully told you what is going on (most medical Dr. won’t tell patients this).
This is a free PPD Association quiz that will help you gain more insight into your situation: https://ppdassociation.org/ppd-self-questionnaire (Self Quiz — Psychophysiologic Disorders Association)

Then it’s up to you to decide how you want to proceed.
We’re here to support you and answer any questions we can!
 
Thank you for the reply - I have done another quiz and got a high score indicating strong likelihood of TMS. The assessment you suggested I just did and got 9/12. I do mostly believe it's TMS which started as a real infection but now is due to those neural pathways being ingrained and my own fear and anxiety fueling this. I guess I'm just still having some doubts but I think I'll go ahead and start doing the work anyway.
 
daisychain said:
I guess I'm just still having some doubts but I think I'll go ahead and start doing the work anyway.
Click to expand...
Good! It's really all about asking what have you got to lose at this point?

As long as you make an honest commitment to being open and vulnerable to the emotional reflection which is in the exercises, belief will start to overtake doubt.

Doubt is a creation of what I like to refer to as the TMS "mechanism" in our brains which is designed to keep us fearful and on edge (and, in extreme cases, hypersensitized!) Belief, patience, and kindness for yourself are the weapons you use to fight doubt.
 
JanAtheCPA said:
Good! It's really all about asking what have you got to lose at this point?

As long as you make an honest commitment to being open and vulnerable to the emotional reflection which is in the exercises, belief will start to overtake doubt.

Doubt is a creation of what I like to refer to as the TMS "mechanism" in our brains which is designed to keep us fearful and on edge (and, in extreme cases, hypersensitized!) Belief, patience, and kindness for yourself are the weapons you use to fight doubt.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! This makes a lot of sense, that the doubt is part of the fear response.
 
@daisychain
Generally, people who read Sarno identify with parts of his book, but are not always 100% in on TMS, until they start to do the work.
I looked at it this way, how could this work harm me? It was the beginning of me learning to be curious and less fearful of the reason my brain needed chronic symptoms.
 
Cactusflower said:
@daisychain
Generally, people who read Sarno identify with parts of his book, but are not always 100% in on TMS, until they start to do the work.
I looked at it this way, how could this work harm me? It was the beginning of me learning to be curious and less fearful of the reason my brain needed chronic symptoms.
Click to expand...

That is so helpful- I've been worried that I need to believe 100% but it's probably my perfectionism coming out (I am very much typical TMS personality!) I am just starting to read The Way Out and there was something very similar written in the foreword - essentially saying you don't need to believe 100% you just need an open mind and the willingness to give it a try. Which I am going to do! Thanks again for the encouraging words.
 
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