Day 1 Taking the Leap

I heard about Dr. Sarno's books while reading Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery a little over a year ago. Like so many others, I saw myself clearly in his descriptions. I have been dealing with a cascade of symptoms for at least a few years (although the more I learn, the more I question older health issues). It started with my ankle which sent me to the physical therapist. It pinballed from there to debilitating spasms in my lower back, pain in my neck/upper back/shoulder, dry eyes, floaters, ocular migraines and glaucoma (which my opthamologist grudgingly diagnosed), fatigue, dizziness, tinnitus, tingling in my face, hands and feet, trouble sleeping, anxiety, irritable bowl symptoms, teeth sensitivities, losing a patch of hair, a patch of shingles. Most symptoms come and go as they please. The dizziness and fatigue have been the hardest to take. I fit Dr. Sarnos goodist personality to a T as well as being a worrier and perfectionist. I've been (nose-to-the-grindstone) reading book after book, sometimes two at the same time, and sporadically filling in pages in my journal and now want to slow down and quiet the chaotic searching and focus on this program.

I feel like I'm about 90% on-board with TMS as my issue but do get sideswiped and panicked by new or increased symptoms.

I've already learned so much and changed the way I view some things and I'm looking forward to going deeper and hoping it will help me to gain some peace.

 

Welcome, @BridgetE!

I found that the way to succeed in doing the SEP is to really listen to the negative thoughts in your brain, and to be 100% honest when doing the writing exercises.

For me, this meant hearing the little voice in my head that would say "Oh, don't write that down, that's not important, or it's too embarrassing, or we don't want to go there." Recognizing that voice, and forcing myself to write those things down anyway, was the secret to learning how to access my repressed emotions. And learning to do that is the secret to emotional freedom.

 

I know just those moments that you're speaking of. I've been guilty of ignoring or discounting a thought that popped into my head because I didnt want to go there. I will be on the lookout in the future and remember that "there" is just the place that will lead me to new insights and hopefully, by looking, make that place less scary. Thank you for your kind support.