New to TMS and a bit confused

Hi all!

Just learned about TMS and that’s my personality 100%. From childhood trauma, I have C-PTSD and am a somatic mess (ranked most bothersome to least)- endometriosis, IBS, back pain, sacral pain, pelvic pain, tendinitis, carpal tunnel. There’s probably more but I’m forgetting because they shift and come and go *eye roll* You know the drill.

I’m thinking that TMS is contrary to how trauma is usually treated. I am very aware that my issues are caused by trauma and treat them accordingly using holistic mind-body. I use my body to release emotions, not release emotions to heal the body. Such as yoga and stretching to work trauma out of muscles. Sarno kind of says the opposite?

I had endometriosis surgery a few months back (very glad, made the right decision) and just started post-op PT. But now learning about TMS I’m thinking I should stop? Does it enforce the pain? Or is it legit because I had a structural problem and surgery? My PT is very mind-body and relaxing. I store all my emotions in my pelvis (hence, the issues) so I do meditation and speaking lovingly to my body as she is doing her work, especially internal release points. This has proven to bring up a LOT of repressed trauma. (Yay!) Which can now be released. She’s also the only person who has been able to bring me out of dissociation.

For back pain, had that for over a decade as well. I feel I’ve tried everything even before discovering TMS. The scolding, the ignoring, the doing activities anyway...Recent approach has been nurturing the pain- encouraging safety, it’s just pain, etc. Been a year and it hasn’t worked. I’ve been seeing a chiro for 3 months. My back pain is gone for like 15mins and returns so it’s pointless for that. However it has been very helpful for general health and I’m feeling a lot better. I always have intense emotional releases after adjustments. My chiro is also very mind-body and doesn’t push regular adjustments.

Thoughts on this? I feel like it goes against TMS treatment? But it’s how PTSD is usually successfully treated.

I also feel kind of hopeless that I’ll be like this the rest of my life. C-PTSD is almost always a lifelong struggle and I’d probably have to be cured of that before my symptoms go away. It feels overwhelming. It’s not like I can say “Oh I’m grieving my father, that’s why my back hurts!” I’d have to work on 20years of trauma.

Thanks, y’all. Nice to meet you.

 

Welcome to the Forum!

I think your confusion is fairly common. I know I had the same questions. There are people who believe that mindbody problems can be addressed by going through the body rather than the mind. Peter Levine and his treatment called Somatic Experiencing is one popular example of this method, and there are others. But I think the important thing that differentiates this from typical medical approaches is the recognition that the physical body problems are caused by problems in the mind, i.e. are psychological in origin. This recognition and understanding is critical in treating TMS whether using Sarno, Schubiner, or more body-centered approaches. But there are many who prefer to start with body-based treatments. But realize that if the cognitive and emotional issues aren't dealt with at some point, they will continue to cause problems in the body.

I think what Sarno was cautioning against was using PT to correct a problem in the body that one believes is causing TMS. That would be inconsistent with TMS theory, and so continuing that kind of treatment would undermine the belief that the problem is caused by psychological issues. So, I think it is fine to continue the body-based treatments you are using, as long as you also address the psychological component. There are some Forum members who have benefited from body-based treatments done in conjunction with psychological-based treatment, @Anne Walker and @plum come to mind, so might want to take a look at their profile page and posts.

Best wishes to you. Let us know how you're getting along.

 

I think Ellen's response was spot-on! I didn't personally use any of the body-first methods but I think they're a great resource for many people. Even something as simple as yoga done to calm the nervous system down and promote relaxation is a version of this. Addressing the underlying emotions is a wonderful technique but lots of people need something else. I think the intention behind what you're doing is key, like Ellen said.

 

Hi Getting_Better,

I understand your fear about this. Having PTSD means you perhaps have more to work on than someone who does not have PTSD. But in terms of your TMS work, you don't really know how challenging this will be. You're coming to this work with experience and self-awareness, and practices and other therapies which can help you with TMS work. If you can see your TMS work as a journey to more self-contact, self-love, self-understanding, and less about "making something stop," then you will feel the progress in your work. It seems you're already getting results in terms of feeling better health by being more attuned to yourself rather than "pushing through."

I highly recommend the free programs on the Wiki, as a way of exploration. Or Dr. Schubiner's book Unlearn Your Pain.

Andy B