Thinking about the next step (running, biking, swimming)

S

SebastianM

Well known member
Hi everyone,

the last weeks were quite good but also very stressful. I ended my relationship, had job interviews and am finishing my master degree these days. It's interesting that I recognized the stress and the tension and was aware of it but the pain did not increase. Only my shoulder pain got more intense but I think this is caused by doing more fitness workouts at home. Moreover I stopped taking meds against sour stomach. I am completely off after 4 years of daily taking them. That's amazing. I see a progress and would like to go on. But at the moment there is more tension in my body...

I became very active since leaning about TMS. I do some fitness workouts every second day at home and am walking about 2 hours a day. Being active feels great and I enjoy it. Now I think about trying more activies, especially the ones that I fear. The list is long: swimming, running, biking, driving a car, doing push exercises, drinking alcohol and coffee... My main problems are shoulder, achilles tendon, adductors, acid reflux and headaches. Now I recognize an increase of tension all over my body while I think about these acitivities.

Thinking psychologically and being in the present moment is no problem for me. The problem is to ignore and accept upcoming pain and to be trustful that it will someday maybe go away. Mostly I am able to laugh at it and to thank it to remember me of being me and looking at my needs. But sometimes fear and produced tension is very strong.

I have read this thread yesterday and was very confident and convinced to be more active: http://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/pain-in-neck-left-shoulder-arm-elbow.827/ (pain in neck, left shoulder/arm/elbow)
I know that making affirmations and so on will help but I again and again come to the point where tension and fear are overwhelming me. Journaling and my psychotherapy are good but I think my conviction is sometimes not 100%. That's one of my main problems. Because of this I ordered Steve O's book "The Great Pain Deception" and will read it the next days/weeks.

Do you have an advice for me concerning activities that you connect(ed) with pain? This pain-connection is deep rooted in my mind. Thinking of an activity is sometimes enough to feel pain/symptoms.

I am grateful for every advice, experience and suggestion from you :).

Thanks..

Sebastian
 
[QUOTE="SebastianM, post: 81433, member:

Do you have an advice for me concerning activities that you connect(ed) with pain? This pain-connection is deep rooted in my mind. Thinking of an activity is sometimes enough to feel pain/symptoms.

I am grateful for every advice, experience and suggestion from you :).

Thanks..

Sebastian[/QUOTE]
Hi Sebastian,

Congratulations on how far you've come. Overcoming our conditioned responses or triggers can take a little time but is completely possible. Dr. Schubiner recommends the following when faced with triggers (in this case it is activities that you connect with pain):

  • Take a deep breath
  • Say to yourself "This activity will not hurt my body and will not create symptoms." "My body is strong and healthy."
  • If symptoms start, tell your brain something like "Knock it off, brain. There is no logical reason for this activity to create symptoms, so stop!"
Basically, you are trying to override your illogical unconscious with your rational conscious brain. It takes persistence, but does work. Find the words that work best for you. Some people find saying them out loud works best.

Best wishes to you.......
 
Hi Sebastian, thank you for posting, I am following your thread because I have similar questions about the fear of pain while thinking on going back to doing some activities. I'm reading to see what others may suggest. Thanks
 
Ellen said:
Congratulations on how far you've come.
Click to expand...
Thank you Ellen :).

Ellen said:
  • Take a deep breath
  • Say to yourself "This activity will not hurt my body and will not create symptoms." "My body is strong and healthy."
  • If symptoms start, tell your brain something like "Knock it off, brain. There is no logical reason for this activity to create symptoms, so stop!"
Click to expand...
I try this. Especially breathing ist very good. But also reading success storys and about TMS is calming me down.

The thoughts about being more active have set of an avalanche of fear yesterday. The thoughts about the possible pain were so real. It was terrible. BUT, I was able to calm me down within 24 hours. I ignored the pain and made my fitness workout in the evening. Okay, I was unsure but I tried to be confident. It worked.. Today my shoulder is much better. But now my neck and other areas of my body feel a bit tensioned. Symptom imperative...

I recognize what's going on and that calms me down. After losing fear and anxiety, I am able to see things and emotions in me clear. There is something in me that knows what I REALLY need. But this something is only available when the fear of pain is not there.

Right in this moment I made a big step. A woman asked me to go swimming this weekend. My first reaction was "Oh shit, this will be hard. Maybe I will have to talk about my pain, maybe stop swimming. I will seem to be weak."
My neck tenses up, my adductors and my shoulder start to burn. Okay.. I see what's happening. And now I am motivated to do it. The good thing is, she knows about my state of mind, not in detail but a bit. So I will be honest and tell her if I should need a break. I have to honest here too. I am very afraid of this "swimming date". There is something inquisitive in me what is looking forward to this activity and much confidence. But also the fear.. We'll see how it will end :D.

I am still grateful for your advices :). I could write it after every post I write: This forum is great and one the keys for my recovery process, thanks!

Greetings
Sebastian
 
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