Techniques to deal with "real" pain?

Sienna

Sienna

Well known member
Hello everyone,

As we have all been sentitized to acute pain at some stage, I realize how our brain goes to the "dark side" of fear and paying too much atention when some real pain occurs (with a real injury like a fracture,etc).

I realise that I used to have a high toleration to pain, but now after years of chronic pain from which I recovered thanks to the TMS approach, I realize that pain paralises me, affects my mood, become weak and vulnerable... I realize how my amygdala gets crazy and I loose control.
When in fact... "pain is just pain"- it is not creating any further damage.

By the way, I picked up this quote from Lindsey Vonn, US Ski World champion, who recovered from two major accident and surgeries in a 10 months lapse, and ended up winning the World Championship after a hard rehabilitation program.

By the way, I highly recommend the film about her recovery, "the climb", I found it sooo encouraging.
You can watch it here:


Do you have any tips to deal with these kind of physical pain? I try to relax and positive thinking, but I would like to go further.

Have a great weekend everyone!!
 
A really inspirational video. Confidence, perseverance are so important in TMS healing.
In our own ways, we are all Lindsey Vonn's, whether walking a block or a mile or
downhill skiing. It takes faith, courage, and guts.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful video, Sienna.
 
I think many of the same techniques you used with TMS would apply. With TMS you don't want to pay attention to the pain to avoid feeding into the cycle, and with acute pain you don't want to pay attention so that pain doesn't lead to suffering. It's all the same, right?
 
Not for everyone....! I watched the video for 20 minutes or so and then I noticed that my foot began to hurt, what he did not before. I think that I identified so much with the pain of Lindsey Vonn that my foot (or better: my brain) reacted. Now I am trying to get the pictures out of my head - and it is not so easy...
So I would not recommend the video to everyone!!
 
Sienna, I know you wanted to help people with your video! And for many of them it will be helpful, I am sure.
I only wanted to point out that for some (maybe more sensitive) persons it could have the opposite effect.
 
That's interesting, Renate. With respect, that actually makes me want to watch the clip more. :) For me, one of the big messages of TMS is that we are strong and don't need to be afraid. We need to teach our unconscious mind/brain that the mindbody connection is real and that we don't need to be afraid of it.

My take would be, watch the video, feel a new symptom rise in your perfectly healthy feet, laugh at that new symptom, then watch the symptom fall because it was nothing more than a scary thought. Finally, take courage and pride from the fact that you didn't let this little nocebo beat you.

Perhaps do some tapping or deep breathing or reassure yourself that you are okay along the way. Then feel the confidence that comes from having surmounted a tough obstacle after you are done.

You are powerful. The way to beat TMS is to remember this and to lose your fear. This is why the most amazing TMS cures are book cures - people who just read one of the TMS books, realized that their body was strong, lost their fear, and took back their lives.
 
Thank you, Forest! The symptom that arose in my foot was my "old" symptom. I was diagnosed from RSD in my foot 4,5 years ago and it was only when I read about TMS 3 month ago that my healing began. I really have made some progress and my foot gets better and better. I never again think of my diagnosis because I know that it is TMS. So I was very astonished that the pain began when I was watching the video.
Forest, I will follow your advice and watch the video again. And I know that I am strong and healthy :-))

PS: my mother tongue is German
 
Forest said:
We need to teach our unconscious mind/brain that the mindbody connection is real and that we don't need to be afraid of it
Click to expand...
Totally agree with you Forest!! The thing is how to make this new integration with a sense of "ecology" of the mind, i.e.: recognising that all changes will be for the best for the person as a system.
 
Thank you everyone for your kind contributions.
Renate, I am so sorry the video first caused your mind to trigger pain. I felt bad and thought about deleting it but with Forest contribution I feel better that it could help people to watch it and take the positive message that our bodies are so strong.
I must admit that I felt the same in the past when I didn't know about TMS and watched people doing sports... now I said to myself.. it is not painful, if they can do it, you can do it.
My learning was: she tore her knee into peaces twice in ten months.. and not only she was able to recover, ride on bike and lift heavy weithts...she is competing at the highest level and even won the Ski World Championship.

So.. if she could do it with real injuries and acute pain... those who don't really have any damage can achieve whatever they want!!!

Our bodies and tissues are much stronger than we think.

Thank you Forest for your advice, you are totally right in the case of acute pain: suffering is optional.
So I will try not to stop myself from doing the things I like and instead of "freezing" with the fear to pain.

Namaste
 
Renate said:
Not for everyone....! I watched the video for 20 minutes or so and then I noticed that my foot began to hurt, what he did not before. I think that I identified so much with the pain of Lindsey Vonn that my foot (or better: my brain) reacted. Now I am trying to get the pictures out of my head - and it is not so easy...
So I would not recommend the video to everyone!!
Click to expand...


Renate

Funny (well not really) that your foot began to hurt, sometimes I could be having a low pain day and then I decide to read some of my post and BANG my feet or hands began to hurt....I thought weather was a trigger know my brain his hooking up this site as a pain trigger.
 
Sienna said:
So.. if she could do it with real injuries and acute pain... those who don't really have any damage can achieve whatever they want!!!
Click to expand...
I totally agree with you on a logical and non personal level. When I try to apply this logic to myself, it doesn´t work! Maybe because of the bewilderment of knowing nothing is wrong and it hurts like hell!!
But to attempt to contribute to this topic, I believe the video is only useful at a certain level, and I can´t explain why, but I believe perhaps it can help people who have actually suffered these types of injuries. For the other ones, I am not sure.
But don´t erase it. I think there are many things to be learned from this post, and suffering is optional, as well as taking in only what helps you, so go ahead and watch, listen, read or write anything that works with you. And consider, when we are reminded of the kind of pain we can have, it is just a reminder, and the lesson is to take it just like that. And to move on.
 
Visiting for the first time in a while, which shows the program works!
Today, however, my horse spooked big and I wound up falling off - hard - landing on my coccyx. The pain went up my whole spine, nausea, instant aura and migraine. Found a wall and remounted after I realized I didn't need 911 to medivac me out of the park. Rode a few miles and had a good, debriefing cry, glad to know somatic experiencing and debriefing trauma as fast as possible.
Got ice and ibuprofen. As I drove home, I then made phone calls to commit to not telling a story of being ruined by this fall.
I had an X-ray in Urgent care and nothing cracked which is the best news.
I know my M.O. I know how I roll with sports accidents and since recovering through Sarno and Schubiner, I trust I will heal fast if I rest and then begin yoga in a few days.
I even went out to dinner with my husband instead of cancelling and playing my pity card.
Brava! So grateful.
Got lots of support from friends I called, am thankful for them caring.
Most of all, I love what I have learned about pain being just pain and it will pass. There's nothing wrong that won't heal.

Best wishes to all,
Bg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top