Systemic biological issue or TMS all over?

Hello! I have just asked this question via the Ask a Therapist Forum but I would love to have your input as well.

My mum has been diagnosed with an aggressive type of cancer and this has led me to rediscover the Radical Remission book (in which a researcher analyzed the commonalities between people who achieved “miraculous” recoveries from cancer). On the back of that, I watched a new documentary series by the same author, Kelly Turner. The series has reignited my interest in alternative medicine which has been crucial to these peoples' recoveries (alongside lifestyle changes and mindset changes).

Now, as someone who has been debilitated by chronic illness for the last 10 years, sick for 20 years, and displaying TMS-like symptoms for 40 years, I have had my share of (mostly disappointing) experiences with the alternative medical world. Discovering Dr. Sarno’s work has been like a breath of fresh air for me, a most welcome invitation to liberate myself from the overwhelming contradictory information out there. Liberation from the “pressure” to choose between the many experimental and usually extremely costly alternative treatments and centers on offer for chronic patients like me. An invitation to replace all of that with a simple message, a simple set of lessons, and a whole lot of internal work. All basically cost-free or almost. What a wonderful invitation! I accepted it eagerly BUT … I have not really seen that much improvement and it’s been 1.5 years already since I started implementing the theory and the work.

So, inspired by the Radical Remission series (which I watched for my mum), I am once again tempted and lured by the possibility presented by some chronic illness experts out there (like Dr. Neil Nathan), that these weird symptoms that I have been struggling with for so long are actually rooted in biology. Chronic headaches, brain fog, fatigue, joint pains, digestive issues, chronic inflammation, pelvic pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, so on and so forth are, are regarded as typical for someone dealing with a toxic overload, of metals, mold, viruses, bacteria, etc … (lyme, coinfections, etc)

"Negative" thoughts and emotions (TMS thoughts and emotions) are also toxic, I know, and surely they do have an impact on creating more or less fertile ground for all those other toxins to take root within us, but Dr. Neil Nathan and these many centers that treat chronic illness patients, present the theory that sometimes the body needs special help with clearing it of all the bad stuff, so that it can be reset, and thus become once again capable of maintaining the whole complicated body-mind-spirit entity in full functioning order.

I would love to know your take on this.
Are you a chronic pain/illness sufferer who has tried everything - including hardcore alternative treatments - only to discover partial or total resolution and liberation from your symptoms via Dr. Sarno’s / TMS work? Or has some detoxifying - resetting, hardcore alternative treatment been indispensable in your recovery/improvement?

I guess I’d love to hear from people who acted upon the temptation to check into one of those super-expensive treatment centers for chronically ill, invested in stem cell therapy, Vitamin C IVs, infrared sauna, ridiculous amounts of kale, Nutribullet, Vitamix, and all that jazz, only to find that no of it made any difference until .. they met Sarno and started doing the work.

 

@Dida8349 , I was lucky not to go down the rabbit hole too much, but I had my share of strange healers. I also noticed that I rushed to find another miracle treatment when my recovery would make some progress, but then stall. Those plateaus varied in duration, but always tested my resolve to stay the course. Each time, however, I learned that healing cannot be handed to you. Healing is earned through inner work, which I did. I am now symptom-free.

 

That is great to hear! Yes, it is indeed a rabbit hole and I too wish NOT to go down that route, but my foot got stuck in it ...

 

Try to immerse yourself in the success stories. Listen to Claire Weekes, watch Dr. Shubiner on YouTube. Make sure that every day you spend 1 hour learning how other succeeded. You can read my success story if you want. This is how I brainwashed myself into new way of thinking.

 

I believe that you should try creating a mantra, and repeat it whenever you feel anxious. In general I would recommend you any light therapies. When I lived in Iceland, the days were very short during the winter time, and got the winter depression, because of the lack of sunlight. I went to see a psychiatrist and we've been practicing light therapy. I had to stare at light bulb. This helped me organize my thoughts and focus on things that mattered to me back then. There is also red light therapy (https://infraredforhealth.com) but I just heard of it, never tried it.

 

I spent a lot of money and time on alternative medical treatments, but never received more than temporary symptom relief. Then I discovered TMS, and within a year or so I was symptom free. You can read my success story on my profile page.