Relapse

Argh! I've had a really stressful day, I'm aware that I'm having some catastrophising thoughts, and I'm aware that I am angry too!! So why is the pain coming back? It's my ankle and I had a good day of walking and climbed up a ladder on a building site for the first time in about 4 months so I was feeling really pleased with myself too.

 

Hi Ella,

That is fantastic that you walked and climbed up a ladder for first time in ages -> rightly pleased with yourself - I am pleased for you too. I just love when people start doing things that they haven't done in ages. It lights the fire of inspiration.

Is ankle pain your main TMS symptom?

Being aware of your thoughts and anger is powerful however in my experience it is not enough. The key is how you are relating to them: are you trying to push the thoughts and anger away (fighting), frustrating that they are arising, and trying to work through them quicky (fixing). This goes for the ankle pain too - I can tell from your post that you are really frustrated and looking for a fix for your pain. Both of which are understandable but add layers of stress to the experience.

More stress=more pain

The other way of relating is from a place of acceptance. Accepting that you are feeling angry, are having catastrophic thoughts, and are having pain is the first step. The next and critical one is accepting that they are TMS and that they cannot harm you. This is otherwise known as the two-fold acceptance of TMS and it reduces the pressure of having symptoms like nothing else in my experience.

Less stress=less pain.

Also, anyone who has a stressful day will have a mindbody reaction whether they are aware of it or not. How often do we hear people complaining of a headache after a long day of work? Or heartburn after seeing a particularly difficult friend?

I still get ankle and leg pain sometimes when I see my parents as those relationships trigger stress and deep emotions for example.

These are totally normal and human responses to stress and nothing to worry about. That is exactly the same as your ankle pain - that is a site where stress knows it can manifest and will do. If you can view it as normal and harmless just like a tension headache after a long day then it will disappear with time.