Please Help: Potentially Returned to MBS after Being Healed

Hi everyone,

I am 25/M, I've always been physically active (into running and HIIT) and passionate about my work and business. I still need to work on managing stress, personality traits, but overall, life has been okay despite all the ups and downs until this latest round of MBS! (Please excuse my English as I am not a native speaker.)

Success Story 1.0 (2022 - 2024)

I was delighted to overcome the first round of mindbody syndrome, which started in November 2022 after a stressful period (switching to a high finance job, surgery, moving, etc.). I experienced the following symptoms: burning and pain in the scrotum, burning / tingling foot, sciatica-like symptoms, and tension in my hip. It all happened on the right side.

In early 2024, I was able to come across the masterpieces by Alan Gordon and Dr. Howard Schubiner, "The Way Out" and "Unlearn Your Pain", which I was able to make a complete turnaround of all my symptoms and regain my life within 4 - 5 months of actively using the strategies suggested in those books. I was able to get back to work, see friends, travel, and live life to the fullest. This journey taught me to set clear boundaries and respect myself even more.

Here are the simple, but core components that led to a full recovery that took away nearly 1.5 years of my life:

1. Education / Evidence - understanding that the sensations are very real, but it was activated by the danger neural circuit in the brain because it perceived that I was in danger from the initial stress. It was the fear and focus reactions to the sensations that kept the circuit from deactivating. I also created an evidence sheet to reinforce belief, which was very helpful.
2. Outcome independence - Re-engaging and re-living my life despite the sensations, knowing that my body was safe to be re-engaged in all activities. It was hard to rewire my brain at first, but gradually I felt more confident in my body and expanded my world.
3. Expressive therapy - it was not the major component, but it helped me to learn how to be more expressive of my emotions via journaling/communication. I was able to learn more about my repressed emotions, but re-engaging in life despite the sensations was what helped me to get through it.

New Journey in Early 2025

During mid-January 2025, I started an extreme diet regimen for 4 weeks, including a strict calorie deficit of 1,000 - 1,100 per day for 2 weeks and low carbs for another 2 weeks to lose a few kg within a few weeks (It was stupid, but I have learned my mistakes). After two weeks, I started to experience a few episodes of hypoglycemia and near-passing out, it was scary. Since then, I have decided to stop immediately and eat normally for the last 2 months, as my body went into a big shock, my brain was activating all the physical symptoms in response to the extreme diet and overworking. The stress from the restrictive diet was also compounded by other stressors from work and pressure to perform, which I did not have the energy to do.

I've been having the following symptoms for a little over 2 months (March and April):

- Dizziness/lightheadedness - not extremely intense, but disturbing (more in the morning)
- Fatigue/Breathlessness - originally was not able to walk and was constantly out of breath, but has been slowly improving.
- Faster Heartbeat - a higher/rapid heartbeat than my usual when taking on activities, started after 2 weeks of extreme dieting and overworking.
- Nasal congestion
- Pressure in my temple that comes and goes
- Insomnia - triggered by fear and stress from the restrictive dieting
- Others: sensations in both legs, tingling but no pain

I have made an appointment with an endocrinologist and ran a series of blood and hormonal tests, and the results came out perfect. There was no real concern from the endocrinologist, so I moved on. I have also met with a dietitian to be guided on how to diet properly so I won't mess up my diet anymore. Through the journey, I have been very stressed out because of the reckless situation that I've put myself through. I was on leave for a month, and I was in the middle of a big move with my mom and dad, which meant I did not have enough energy to help out my family. I was depressed.

Over the last week, I have slowly begun to believe that the persistent symptoms are MBS, which is caused by the immense stress from the extreme diet that I put myself through. I was fearing and focusing on the symptoms over the last 2 months because I was fearful that I had somehow damaged my body permanently, and the stress from work and life also compounded. I truly understand that the fixation on the sensations must have reinforced more danger to my brain, which makes these sensations persist. Over the last 10 days, I have decided to return to the MBS/TMS education and utilise my conscious mind to influence the unconsciousness to feel safe while returning to living life and not caring about the sensations. I was sick of limiting myself from returning and enjoying life because of these symptoms. I have been very motivated to believe that this is still MBS/TMS, but still not 100% sure how I should be proceeding with my healing.

Here is a list of evidence that I found over the recent days:
- Blood test results were clear – no clear hormonal / deficiency issues
- Re-eating a balanced diet for over 2 months, my body has regained a healthy weight, but symptoms persisted.
- More dizziness/weakness in the morning, but gets better in the evening (sometimes the other way around)
- Returned to hiking 3 days ago, did 7 km, on-and-off fatigued throughout the walk (inconsistent)
- Tension in the temple comes and goes, clearer when more fatigued.
- Nasal congestion comes and goes, with no consistency.
- Lack of sleep can cause stronger sensations and tension.

I am not sure where to start from here, and I am not sure whether I should continue to commit to THE TMS/MBS work 100%. It has been a little over two months, and I truly believe my body has healed from the extreme diet, and it is the brain that is creating these symptoms because I have been fearing it so much. I just truly want to fully believe that this is TMS/MBS so that I can rewire my brain to believe that I am perfectly healthy and go out there and relive my life.

On the other hand, I am still worried that I have done something wrong to my body. I am tired of being depressed over this, I just want to have my life back and move forward from this. I would be extremely appreciative of your opinions and guidance on this.

Thank you.

 

You have not done anything wrong to your body, but you are learning that self-pressure, perfectionism, rushing outcomes etc. will create stress. The thoughts pushing you to do these things affect the nervous system.
Return to your mind body practices and keep with them. Alan Gordon’s work does not include the psychological component that most people need. Dr. Sarno’s work differs here: he asks you for deep personal reflection, to look at personality traits, thoughts, mindset, your past, current stressors and how these impact your whole life, not just your current pain. This helps you see cycles and patterns in your life and thoughts that trigger stress and symptoms.
All your current symptoms are frequently reported MB symptoms.
The free structured Educational Program at TMSWiki.org (scroll down page to find a text link) will guide you to do these things psychological work.

 

It is very common for TMS/MBS to return after an initial recovery. It's easy for our brain to fall back into old patterns and then look for something new to blame the relapse on. Just go back to doing what worked for you initially.

 

Hi @Cactusflower , I am very grateful for your input, it really increases my confidence knowing that I am in another round of TMS journey. I have restarted this journey for the last one week and I have been exposing myself to normal activities, including returning to work, walking, and gradually re-engaging in exercises. It has been quite challenging with this new set of symptoms since these are pretty new to me. Slowly, I have been feeling a bit better as I have been able to take on these activities over the past week, no matter the sensations. It improves my mental health.

On the other hand, this second journey really pushed me to focus on my personality traits and explore a new way of living life at such a young age. I have developed all the tendencies that put me through the MBS journey: perfectionist, overachiever, self-critic, and rushing outcomes. I have decided to have enough and be a lot more kind to myself and sit back to make a personal reflection (this will be a life-long learning journey), I am seeing this as a blessing in disguise rather than a setback as this is a very eye-opening opportunity for me to deeply learning about myself and rethinking of my way in approaching life. I have also realized that I do not have to pressure myself to change the extrinsic factors, but rather, it is much better to focus on my own mind and rethink my relationship with stress and pressure.

 

Hi @Ellen, I can definitely see the inconsistency of the symptoms. It has been quite challenging experiencing these sensations over the last two months, but I definitely believe that my body is perfectly fine. I was afraid that I have not been recovered from the extreme dieting, but mega thanks to you and @Cactusflower, I have a lot more confidence to regain my life back, knowing that I have not damaged my body. I will keep you posted!

 

Hi, @TrevorMBS

Along with TMS/MBS, you probably have an over stimulated (sensitized) nervous system—which usually goes hand in hand with MBS. A great book to read for this is Hope and Help for Your Nerves, by Claire Weekes. It’s also available for free on YouTube (below). Here’s a quote from the book, which you might find interesting (I added the underlining.)

“Severe sensitization may come more gradually following too strenuous dieting; severe anemia; indeed following any debilitating illness; or it may accompany the constant tension of being in some difficult life situation such as living with an alcoholic husband or wife, an incompatible in-law, an erring child. In other words, long, anxious brooding on any difficult life situation may gradually bring sensitization.”

 

Hi Diana, thank you for sharing this. I totally agree with you, the most important thing for this healing journey is to soothe the brain and calm the nervous system down, learn about your personality traits that constantly put you in that fight-or-flight mode, and lastly, go out and there and focus on living life. I have accepted that MBS has returned, but my body is entirely safe so I am positive that I can rewire my brain to feel safer again.