HollDoll
Peer Supporter
Hi there, I'm Holly.
I suffered with lower back/hip/knee pain for years until discovering Dr. Sarno's book. My pain practically went away overnight because the whole thing just made so much sense to me (and I was very desperate and open to alternative possibilities at that point!).
Since that time, I have had other symptoms crop up including foot pain, numbness in one hand, insomnia, heart palpitations and acne. The foot pain and numbness lasted only a very brief period as I had an easy time applying the mind-body principles to them. The insomnia and heart palpitations took longer (several months) because they scared me in a way that all my other previous pain symptoms did not. While the insomnia still crops up for a night or two here and there, as long as I think psychologically and reassure myself, it quickly resolves itself.
The acne has been the macdaddy of symptoms for me. It started nearly two years ago, when I was 26 and with NO prior history of it whatsoever. The month it started was an incredibly stressful month: I started a new job that made me anxious, I found out about my sister's drug use, and I dove deeper into my eating disorder recovery than ever before; giving up disordered behaviors that I had relied on for 13 years to soothe me.
I tried all sorts of things to heal the acne before finally coming back around to TMS. In that time it has certainly gotten better no question. BUT! It is still there. I get every kind: clog covering my entire forehead and chin, pustules, nodules and cysts. The only pattern I have been able to detect is breaking out (with "big" acne) before big events (weddings, parties etc.). The rest seems random; not even necessarily aligned to my cycle.
I had my hormones and adrenals tested a year ago. I came up low on progesterone so I am taking an herbal supplement for that. I have played around with natural topicals but have yet to see a difference. I have been working on majorly reducing my stress and learning calmer, healthier ways to react to it which has been great. I eat well and exercise often now that my insomnia is no longer present.
I have read Steve's book and am currently re-reading; as well as Ted Grossbart's "Skin Deep," both of which have been massively affirming, eye-opening and helpful. I FEEL that my acne is TMS but I am frustrated because it continues to persist after I have done so much work in terms of reading / learning, journaling / making connections, analyzing my personality type / making more connections, working on the areas in my life I could feel needed it...and yet the acne persists.
I'm at the point where I can feel I've become a little obsessed with this symptom and how to heal it- always searching for that "missing link," but maybe that's part of the problem at this point?
While I have read some acne success stories, they have been very few.
I need to get out of my own head with all this stuff and that's why I decided to join the community, so hi
And thank you to anyone who took the time to read this novel lol. I am majorly appreciative of ANY feedback or advice!!!
P.S. I do not believe that my acne is diet-related. I even pursued this avenue in the midst of desperate despair (going Paleo) even though I KNEW it would send me backwards in my eating disorder recovery and mess with my head...which is exactly what it did. I have prayed about this and sincerely do not feel that food is an issue and that I should be getting on any sort of restrictive food plan due to my history.
I suffered with lower back/hip/knee pain for years until discovering Dr. Sarno's book. My pain practically went away overnight because the whole thing just made so much sense to me (and I was very desperate and open to alternative possibilities at that point!).
Since that time, I have had other symptoms crop up including foot pain, numbness in one hand, insomnia, heart palpitations and acne. The foot pain and numbness lasted only a very brief period as I had an easy time applying the mind-body principles to them. The insomnia and heart palpitations took longer (several months) because they scared me in a way that all my other previous pain symptoms did not. While the insomnia still crops up for a night or two here and there, as long as I think psychologically and reassure myself, it quickly resolves itself.
The acne has been the macdaddy of symptoms for me. It started nearly two years ago, when I was 26 and with NO prior history of it whatsoever. The month it started was an incredibly stressful month: I started a new job that made me anxious, I found out about my sister's drug use, and I dove deeper into my eating disorder recovery than ever before; giving up disordered behaviors that I had relied on for 13 years to soothe me.
I tried all sorts of things to heal the acne before finally coming back around to TMS. In that time it has certainly gotten better no question. BUT! It is still there. I get every kind: clog covering my entire forehead and chin, pustules, nodules and cysts. The only pattern I have been able to detect is breaking out (with "big" acne) before big events (weddings, parties etc.). The rest seems random; not even necessarily aligned to my cycle.
I had my hormones and adrenals tested a year ago. I came up low on progesterone so I am taking an herbal supplement for that. I have played around with natural topicals but have yet to see a difference. I have been working on majorly reducing my stress and learning calmer, healthier ways to react to it which has been great. I eat well and exercise often now that my insomnia is no longer present.
I have read Steve's book and am currently re-reading; as well as Ted Grossbart's "Skin Deep," both of which have been massively affirming, eye-opening and helpful. I FEEL that my acne is TMS but I am frustrated because it continues to persist after I have done so much work in terms of reading / learning, journaling / making connections, analyzing my personality type / making more connections, working on the areas in my life I could feel needed it...and yet the acne persists.
I'm at the point where I can feel I've become a little obsessed with this symptom and how to heal it- always searching for that "missing link," but maybe that's part of the problem at this point?
While I have read some acne success stories, they have been very few.
I need to get out of my own head with all this stuff and that's why I decided to join the community, so hi
And thank you to anyone who took the time to read this novel lol. I am majorly appreciative of ANY feedback or advice!!!P.S. I do not believe that my acne is diet-related. I even pursued this avenue in the midst of desperate despair (going Paleo) even though I KNEW it would send me backwards in my eating disorder recovery and mess with my head...which is exactly what it did. I have prayed about this and sincerely do not feel that food is an issue and that I should be getting on any sort of restrictive food plan due to my history.
