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Sky

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My back pain and sciatic pain started slowly about 3 months ago, going into full force about 8 weeks ago to the point where I could not sit or sleep at all and felt like I was losing my mind from the pain. Dr. identified 2 herniated discs L4-L5 and L5-S1. X-rays all normal. Of course surgery was the recommended course of action which I refused. Tried Prednisone, all types of anti-inflamatories, OTC pain killers, vitamins, heat, stretches and massages. Nothing seem to help even the slightest bit! Enter Dr. Sarno's books, as well as Steve O's the Great Pain Deception and things are slowly getting better. I am not out of the woods but can now sleep for about 6 to 7 hours at a time which is a major victory for me. I thought I was going to lose my mind without sleep!

After some serious soul searching I found out this thing started during a very stressful time at work. The company and industry I work in is not doing well and the company is very badly managed. After over 10 years with the company and having given it my all (typical TMS personality), I now experience major job dissatisfaction and I think this is causing my TMS. Problem is that I can't just quit my job and I am in not much of a condition yet to look for another job, but I am also at the point that I think my job is keeping me from getting better.

My question is, should TMS resolve once I know what causes it, or if I don't do anything about what causes it, will it continue to stay? Basically, is knowing sufficient and do I need to give this time, or do I quit and concentrate on healing? Tough question I know, just looking for some wisdom/input based on your experience.

Thanks!

Sky
 
Hi Sky,

I asked the same question on this forum when I started my TMS journey. The majority of the answers were to stay and change my perception about work.
We all need a job but managing and adult life with chronic pain is exhausting.
My job is very demanding and stressful. In March I just couldn't take it anymore. My migraines wouldn't stop and for the first time I went on disability. I debated going back at all but I needed a job. I was really embarrassed that I cracked but have learned to manage stress better and to not care about my career as much.
In the end it really is a question only you can answer. Since you are asking for advice I'll tell you some things that have helped me.
• Work on calming the rest of your life. Take breaks, read, meditate, journal, walk etc. Do what you need to do to keep your nervous system calm and relaxed.
• If you want a change make a small step toward it every day. You can research other job posts, type out your resume, network etc. By chipping away at it it makes you feel like you're working toward a goal.
• Try not to care. This is hard for TMS'ers but I notice I tend to fret over things that are out of my control or have not even happened yet. Just do your best for that day and you're already on the right track.
• If you are unhappy at work and having a bad day make a list with 3 columns. Things I Can Control, Things I Can Somewhat Control, and Out of My Control. Write tasks for each column. Slowly go through your lists and when you are done, you're done. You did what you could and that's all you can do. Move on to something else besides worrying.

Also to answer your other question. TMS is caused by our unconscious. We are not going to know what it is that causes it. We can try to journal and help ourselves along the way but we are never going to know what enrages us unconsciously. But, I understand if something is causing you stress you need to adjust your lifestyle then you would be the best judge of that. I know some people end toxic relationships so maybe it would help.
 
Thank you so much, that was a lot of help! Will continue to work for now as I have to learn to handle difficult situations instead of avoiding them. Made some big steps already talking to my manager about some things that bother me and hopefully I'll see some changes!
 
TMS symptoms are caused by a combination of our personality, our past and our present. I believe Dr. Sopher's TMS book:

has a picture of this called the "RESERVOIR OF RAGE". When the combination of stressors gets to be too much, the reservoir overflows creating TMS symptoms as a protective defense mechanism. It never hurts to curl up with a good TMS book when in pain. Dr. Sopher worked closely with Dr. Sarno and he explains the fundamentals well, and there are some nice pictures illustrating TMS stuff.
 
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