Alex B. Skin issues

[Lady Phoenix]

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Question

I have successfully rid myself of migraines (95%) using the strategies people use for back pain. My question is, skin disorders like adult acne or psoriasis are not like a pain that you can banish in minutes or hours. What strategies can someone use for this type of mind body problem. I have found very little information on the tmswiki site or in any books.

 

[Alex Bloom LCSW]

Answer

Hi Lady Phoenix, thanks for the question.

These symptoms have been widely associated with increased levels of stress, pressure and tension. The fact is that many of the strategies that are used for dealing with TMS are aimed at those issues rather than a specific symptom per se (i.e. back pain). In other words, when I am working with a client the expression of the symptom (where it's located) is frequently one of the lesser factors of importance when determining what approach to take. First and foremost it is about determining the cause and working from there. I am assuming that during you successful attempts to address your migraines you did a decent amount of work that focused not on the pain, but rather on your internal relationship with pressure, stress perfectionism, etc. and your relationship to the symptoms. All of these techniques can be focused on the stressors that exacerbate the skin disorders that you are speaking of. Mindfullness, self-talk, emotional work etc. are effective techniques for dealing with pain and emotional challenges. We know from our awareness of TMS that they have the potential to be one and the same.

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Any advice or information provided here does not and is not intended to be and should not be taken to constitute specific professional or psychological advice given to any group or individual. This general advice is provided with the guidance that any person who believes that they may be suffering from any medical, psychological, or mindbody condition should seek professional advice from a qualified, registered/licensed physician and/or psychotherapist who has the opportunity to meet with the patient, take a history, possibly examine the patient, review medical and/or mental health records, and provide specific advice and/or treatment based on their experience diagnosing and treating that condition or range of conditions. No general advice provided here should be taken to replace or in any way contradict advice provided by a qualified, registered/licensed physician and/or psychotherapist who has the opportunity to meet with the patient, take a history, possibly examine the patient, review medical and/or mental health records, and provide specific advice and/or treatment based on their experience diagnosing and treating that condition or range of conditions.

The general advice and information provided in this format is for informational purposes only and cannot serve as a way to screen for, identify, or diagnose depression, anxiety, or other psychological conditions. If you feel you may be suffering from any of these conditions please contact a licensed mental health practitioner for an in-person consultation.

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[Lady Phoenix]

Thank you Alex B.! That was very helpful.