Symptoms aren’t an indicator of how close you are to getting better

Here’s a good little 9 min. pep video. I like Helmut (The Mindful Gardener) a lot. He healed from 60+ symptoms in 3 years, and he emphasizes how you can’t ever know how close you are to getting better. It could be right around the corner. Symptoms aren’t an indicator.

 

This is true.
I know I am progressing very well, yet had more symptoms last week coming back from vacation and holidays…instead of freaking out that they are “worse” it was simply another time to reflect on old habits…old thoughts and old emotions while knowing that every time symptoms seem to get worse, they get way better afterwards.
Last week I had the very old symptoms of “dysautonomia” - they are old news and now mean nothing to me - tied to old untruths and old worries. Hampster-mind!
I now get excited when these symptoms flare a bit because it reminds me not to forget to think psychologically and to expect greater outcomes are on the way. In a week I face another great physical challenge I’ve had: walking on dry sand and shifting surfaces below my feet. Although this sounds like a physical focus, there has been an element of the psychological “I cant’s” built up over time because of years of symptoms. Doing the hard physical things sometimes gives you the “downloads” as Helmut’s would call them to get some knowledge and re-program another old untruth.
Layers of the onion..

 

Go get em!

You are so strong! I follow your lead every day. Thank you!

 

this is REALLY hard for me. Every time I try and jump into TMS practices my symptoms seem to become unbearable (they are "normally" extremely debilitating) and I start to think that there *must* be a physical cause to the symptoms.

Can anyone explain *why* this would happen?

I'm new here. Grateful for any advice.

 

The brain thinks it’s keeping you safe by generating symptoms. The symptoms keep your world small, they give you something to focus on. The brains entire purpose is to keep you alive and safe. It doesn’t really mind that you’re in pain. By doing any sort of TMS work, whether that’s emotional exploration, thinking psychologically when pain arises or just challenging the symptoms by living life and doing previously feared activities, you are challenging the brains base narrative and it may generate symptoms in order to ‘ push back’. This is super common and honestly good evidence that what you have is TMS.

evidence logs are so so important, so that when symptoms do escalate you can turn to something tangible when you need the extra belief. But as you continue down this path you acquire more proof and belief and the rest starts to take care of itself.

 

@redcoat This is the from the SEP program "how to" guide. (The very first pinned post in the SEP forum.)

What to Watch Out For: As you work the SEP, your brain will not be happy, because it would rather have you stay in a familiar fearful state - so it might start to fight back. Worsening symptoms and new symptoms are very common experiences as people start seriously doing this work. Just know that this is a sign that you're getting somewhere and that it is a reason to rejoice - so keep the faith, and don't give up.

Symptoms can worsen when you do this work. Just keep trucking along and it should lower down the intensity of your symptoms. Your brain is literally asking you if this is safe and ok to do the TMS practices. You just have to do them to communicate with the amygdala that you are safe. Unfortunately, words don't work. But somatic practices do!