The Myth of a Plateau

In my recovery (oh, how long it has been!), I experienced several plateaus, when progress would stop and I would feel stuck. It seems like every couple weeks of palpable improvements were followed by at least a month of being stuck.

Being on one hand stubborn, but on the other hand having no other options (luckily, my doctors did not even try to offer me any treatments for my symptoms), I kept following Dr. Sarno's and Dr. Weekes' route: work on my emotional issues, meditate, calm my nervous system. And each time, after I lost hope and got despaired, I would discover another small sign of improvement. And then I would reach another plateau. There were enough of them that I started getting less frustrated with lack of progress for long periods of time.

Well, today I was reading the book by Norman Doidge, The Brain That Changes Itself. He talks about many things useful to TMS-ers (I would certainly recommend this book!), but there is this passage that caught my attention.

It talks about brain's post-stroke recovery, but I find it very relevant as our symptoms are result of emotional brain injury: "these learning plateaus were temporary - part of plasticity-based learning cycle - in which stages of learning are followed by periods of consolidation. Though there was no apparent progress in the consolidation stage, biological changes were happening internally, as new skills became more automatic and refined".

Folks, don't get despaired when seemingly "stuck", just keep doing what you have set to do! Your brain just needs to absorb and get used to new order of things before you can push it further, out of the world of pain and misery!

 

Thats' very encouraging, will certainly check it out.

 

thanks for posting. I am in bed for the 3rd day when last week and weeks before that I could already run a little. It helps me keep going with the daily tasks.

 

Setbacks are normal. Your brain is firing up all kinds of circuits as it is confused. When we start training our muscles and they get achy, we take it as normal. Why don't we allow our brain the same? In Sarno's parlance setbacks are called extinction bursts. Recovery is anything but linear. Good luck!

 

Thank you so much for this. This is exactly how I feel now. I've seen improvements but this low grade persistent headache is stubborn as hell. Every time I have some doubt or need some guidance I check this forum and there is always an answer. Thank you for posting.

 

I used to have strong migraines every 3-4 weeks for 3 days for more than 20 years, before I got the back pain and learn it is TMS. I did not know I will say this but I rather have this back pain than the headaches. I am in bed and frightened to go to the loo but at least I can go back to bed and after 2 hours I know it subsides a little so I can function. I wish your head be as easy as feather that blows happily in the sunshine and your eyes sparkle like summer stars on a hot night.

 

Thanks