Day 16 Sharing info about TMS

I can relate to Enrique's story a lot. The frustration, trying everything, and then a glimmer of hope and results. My progress hasn't been as spectacular quick as his was, but I am making steady progress, and I acknowledge it isn't always linear.

Since starting this program have you told anyone about your condition and TMS? Why or Why not? If you have how did they react?

I have told various members of my family. My grandparents and dad thought it was somewhat obvious but I don't think I explained it fully enough, but they realised that the mind and body are linked.

I explained it more to my sister who has been having hip pain in exactly the same spot I had it (and a tender point for TMS, would you believe) and she is keen to learn more. I feel annoyed that more people don't know about this, and want to help others without coming across as a preacher, because some people are bound to misunderstand. The trouble is, for a lot of people, the physical explanation paradigm tends to be what is believed.

 

You're batting almost 100 percent in response to telling people about TMS. Don't expect to get more. It's great that your father and grandfather agree that emotional problems can cause physical pain. And wonderful that your sister is response to TMS causing her pain. But the most important thing is that you believe 100 percent in TMS, and it looks like you do. You're doing great in the SEP. Keep going and keep posting about it.

You might share the following with your sister.


nowtimecoach Well known member
New

Oh its been so long since I've visited all of you wonderful people - the healed and the healing folks. My life is forever changed as a result of this forum, the books that were suggested, read and discussed and the opportunities to receive support from so many people on the TMS recovery path.

Am I 100% recovered? Not quite but when I have a flare up, its usually been a situation or circumstance that is extremely stressful. Usually a feeling of being trapped and out of control. It depends upon my acceptance of what is and a surrender to self-care that predicates how long the flare up will last. I've had a few instances in the last 2 months as my partner and I decided to sell her house and move to Tucson.

So many changes, deadlines, pressure and lots of "I don't know!" brought up a few bouts. But they rarely last more than a day or two. And because I practiced what everyone suggests on this forum, I always knew what to do and I didn't ruminate or worry that it was going to last long.

I am so eternally grateful to all of you. I am grateful to everyone who has written a book that gives us the solution, the hope and hammers in the fact that we have control over TMS. To all of you in pain today, I promise that you will get better if you keep accepting the psychological component to all of this. I remind myself if I have a flare up that I'm vulnerable to old habits. That vulnerability leaves me open for my brain to pop up its old directive to send pain to my back. Its just an old outdated mechanism of protection that still does not serve me very well.

I hope you read this as a message of hope. Never stop believing that you are going get better! Stay close to the wonderful people on this forum. Read the books. Do the work and you'll be rewarded with a pain free life. For me, I got the bigger bonus of a greater self-awareness, of patterns that I was blind to and a sense of empowerment. All this because of TMS. So it ended up being a gift. Of course, I would NOT be able to say this so cavalierly if I was still in pain 24/7!!!