Thinking about your thoughts

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

Think about this. You have a thinking problem that is causing your physical problem. With that said these thoughts that cause pain are rooted in worry or fear.
So you think in the now "what is it that I'm fearing or worrying about at this moment", when you do this and you have the what, then think "why am I worrying or fearing this problem".
When you figure out why, then you can learn to be at peace with this often unconscious problem or set of problems and let them all go one at a time thus over time lessening the tension in your body and creating a life thats more full of courage and joy, a life that you can eventually build new bridges with that will lead to better heath and overall healing from tms pain.

 

[mike2014]

Very nice to see you back Eric. Wonderful words of wisdom as always my friend. I'll be sure to try this. Warm regards

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

Thanks Mike, great to hear from you my friend.

 

[Lavender]

May I echo that "welcome back" Herbie!
The puzzlement seems to be that the toxic thoughts must so entrenched by now that the awareness of them has gone underground after such a long time now and they run on "auto.". Even recognizing and identifying them doesn't seem to help. since the underlying anxiety is all about not being able to walk or escape pain that worsens when I try.

 

[phillyjoe]

Think about this. You have a thinking problem that is causing your physical problem. With that said these thoughts that cause pain are rooted in worry or fear.
So you think in the now "what is it that I'm fearing or worrying about at this moment", when you do this and you have the what, then think "why am I worrying or fearing this problem".
When you figure out why, then you can learn to be at peace with this often unconscious problem or set of problems and let them all go one at a time thus over time lessening the tension in your body and creating a life thats more full of courage and joy, a life that you can eventually build new bridges with that will lead to better heath and overall healing from TMS pain.

Brother Herbie, you have nailed it for me. I can be pain free but still "worry" about anticipating my back going out. This is rooted in my anxiety which after many years I have successfully equated it with my TMS. But I go through these bouts of "anticipatory" thoughts. It's like I get stuck here, and it really frustrates me since at this time I am otherwise physically pain free. I've been able to master the panic, but my thoughts go right to my back where the anxiety just lingers. I appreciate your timing in this. Merry Christmas.

 

[Renee]

What Lavender wrote is my predicament as well when it comes to my pelvic issues. My symptoms have become considerably worse since starting this TMS journey causing me to have even more anxiety. I've become aware that I am more preoccupied with all the pain and irritation even though I know this is absolutely the wrong thing to do. But it is hard to just be with these symptoms or not think about them when they are so intense.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, Herbie. Yes, great to read your post today. It's full of Herbie Wisdom. I've had some worries lately but today decided to forget about them until next year. I want to enjoy the holidays and the days and weeks leading up to them.

I wish you and all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

Thank you my friend Lavender. I hope you are doing well as can be expected. It sounds like you are still on the journey and their lies the world of wisdom you will continue to enjoy. Even though I healed years ago I still use Tms healing tactics for everything in my life. You said something I want to reiterate on Lavender.

The puzzlement seems to be that the toxic thoughts must so entrenched by now that the awareness of them has gone underground after such a long time now and they run on "auto.".

Lavender all our Toxic thoughts are almost always on auto, thus the reason to try and use calming meditations and visualizations, etc... Although I did say try and figure out the what of the matter and then the why, even if you don't figure out anything, the calming of your nervous system through letting go and letting be - be will have a great effect to add to your journey and though I believe you already meditate my question would be do you accept what is and become at peace with that, thus letting go of what you can't control.

Being at peace in the midst of turmoil is an attribute that can really help your neural pathways start new paths to heal. It will also help in getting your focus off the body and onto life's everyday beauty. Like knowing this life is worth being happy about. A child's smile, a thought to laugh about and so much more.

Now with that said I'd like to get back to the "What" in your case. It sounds as if your not able to walk. That would be the answer to the what, right? OK from there are you not stressing over this situation and if you are then the "Why" will help you here. Why are you still stressing this when its the reverse of what you need to do, which is accept your situation and become calm thus overtime creating new pathways to healing, see.

I like to also throw a sorta catch 22 in here. We often think we have to dig deep and we don't. It's on the surface, remember that. What is the little things that is stressing you now, well work toward being at peace with that.

Even recognizing and identifying them doesn't seem to help. since the underlying anxiety is all about not being able to walk or escape pain that worsens when I try.

You said it yourself, the anxiety is about not being able to walk from the pain. Don't focus their dear, focus on letting the emotional stress that is tied to the situation go so in time those pathways will open up and give you strength. Acceptance will go along way in your journey my friend. I wish you the best, I believe in you.
God Bless

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

What Lavender wrote is my predicament as well when it comes to my pelvic issues. My symptoms have become considerably worse since starting this TMS journey causing me to have even more anxiety. I've become aware that I am more preoccupied with all the pain and irritation even though I know this is absolutely the wrong thing to do. But it is hard to just be with these symptoms or not think about them when they are so intense.

I don't see how you can't think about pain when it is trying to really hurt you, that is the tms working fine. The key is to feel your emotions that are connected to the pain, as in anger and fear. Feel those emotions, they are often from your reactions to the pain. These emotions if felt and accepted without negative reactions will be your key to healing my friend, sometimes it's both the thinking problem which is causing the pain and then not feeling the emotion through.
Letting go can be a hard pill to swallow. We have had these emotions so long we don't even know we can let them go but we can.
The what in your case is pain and the why is your reactions to the pain. Try not to be angry when you go through pain, it is difficult I know, but over time you can learn not to react to the pain by not giving it more fuel with your anxiety toward it.
With that said, remember to think about what other stressors you are having that is adding to this reservoir of pain and let those thoughts become peaceful thoughts of acceptance.
I will be thinking more on this and praying for you. You have the power to heal.
Bless You

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

Brother Herbie, you have nailed it for me. I can be pain free but still "worry" about anticipating my back going out. This is rooted in my anxiety which after many years I have successfully equated it with my TMS. But I go through these bouts of "anticipatory" thoughts. It's like I get stuck here, and it really frustrates me since at this time I am otherwise physically pain free. I've been able to master the panic, but my thoughts go right to my back where the anxiety just lingers. I appreciate your timing in this. Merry Christmas.

I'm glad to hear your journey is expanding my friend. You are doing well, I still catch myself thinking in this way sometimes. After all I had back pain for over 20 years. It's at these times Joe that I'll think of another body part, redirect my attention their, like my right or left pinky fingers or hand in general and so on. It won't be long, often a minute or so and that thought will be gone. Remember Joe, it's took me 4 years to get to this stage. Keep practicing your patience toward your reaction to the anxiety, you are doing great.
I know you might not feel that way, but you are.
Bless you

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

I want to say we can have unconscious anger when we're trying not to react to our stressors, it is acceptable to be angry sometimes, sometimes it vents away stress.
We just have to remember to try and live a mostly peaceful life accepting what is and being patient and content there, in the now.

 

[Eric "Herbie" Watson]

Hi, Herbie. Yes, great to read your post today. It's full of Herbie Wisdom. I've had some worries lately but today decided to forget about them until next year. I want to enjoy the holidays and the days and weeks leading up to them.

I wish you and all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thank you Walt and a Merry Christmas to you too my friend. I love your philosophy, I'll worry about it next year. That's a great one too do and I know for fact that's what you do. We have had a few Christmases with our own private worries together.
We all worry and that if just on the surface can be handled by the nervous system and shook off, it's just when it's constant and were never given time to rest our system from those worries is when tms occurs. We have to learn to have these times of rest, like you said, until next year, pretty good. Almost three weeks, you should feel AWESOME for your next bout of worry, lol.
Bless you my wise friend

 

[Renee]

I don't see how you can't think about pain when it is trying to really hurt you, that is the tms working fine. The key is to feel your emotions that are connected to the pain, as in anger and fear. Feel those emotions, they are often from your reactions to the pain. These emotions if felt and accepted without negative reactions will be your key to healing my friend, sometimes it's both the thinking problem which is causing the pain and then not feeling the emotion through.
Letting go can be a hard pill to swallow. We have had these emotions so long we don't even know we can let them go but we can.
The what in your case is pain and the why is your reactions to the pain. Try not to be angry when you go through pain, it is difficult I know, but over time you can learn not to react to the pain by not giving it more fuel with your anxiety toward it.
With that said, remember to think about what other stressors you are having that is adding to this reservoir of pain and let those thoughts become peaceful thoughts of acceptance.
I will be thinking more on this and praying for you. You have the power to heal.
Bless You

Thank you so much Herbie. I've always thought that I felt my emotions, hence my anxiety. But it has occurred to me several times that in part bcz of the the anti-depressant I take I can't even have a good old fashioned cry once in awhile to let it all out. I would so love to be able to do that. It has also occurred to me that I won't listen to music, haven't for years, bcz it is too painful. I always have this homesick type of feeling inside, but I don't know what I'm homesick for.

It's true what you said about my emotions being my reactions to the pain. I've had this issue since I was a child and am so angry and terrified at how they have affected my life. I realize also that these issues didn't come from nowhere and I know why they started. But I have to start learning how to not think so much and feel more even though I always believed that I'm too emotional and sensitive and I feel too much. So I guess I have been trying to not feel anymore than I already do if that makes any sense.