Day 17 Thinking psychological

[Bluesky]

I completed about two weeks of this program and successfully treated a flare up of TMS after a number of years pain free.

Now a few weeks later, the pain has returned in a completely new site, in my upper leg/groin. I am sure it is TMS because it occurred at the end of a very stressful week where I had an argument with a family member and we are still not talking normally (which is very rare for me), I took part in a week of training which was very challenging and I was highly concerned about passing, especially as I took part with colleagues, and I was concerned about getting injured, because it involved strenuous physical activity. I also felt stressed about being away from my regular job because there are many projects I am working on and half way through the week my access to emails accidentally got blocked, so I wasn't able to be in contact with colleagues.

This was resolved but on the day the pain started, I was feeling very stressed, felt the need to perform and prove myself, felt like I was pressurising myself and felt like I had little time for myself. The pain was very mild on the first day, then on Friday it increased a bit. Yesterday it was a bit more sore but during a running session it became much more painful. I journalled yesterday and got in touch with my emotions (which I have not been doing so much lately) and read through Dr Sarno's book.

That seemed to help and I am posting on here to prove to myself that I have experienced lot of stress recently and probably have a lot of repressed anger and anxiety. The pain has moved around a bit over the past couple of days, which is also a characteristic of TMS and this has happened just before a long training run I am due to do as part of preparation for a race for charity in 3 weeks. So I'm feeling stressed and angry that the pain has come back and am going through the principles of the SEP program and 'Healing Back Pain' book again.

Thanks for reading and all the best with your recoveries.

 

[Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)]

Hi, Bluesky. Your post indicates you have been under a lot personal and work stress. So it's not surprising you have some physical pain. It's pure TMS, the subconscious sending the pain so you work on its emotional causes.

My older brother and I were total opposites and seldom got along. Once he stopped answering my phone calls and even returned my letters unopened.
Three years went by and I finally wrote him asking that we just put our differences behind us and go on from there. He agreed and we did go on from there, but it never was a good relationship. I tried my best, then just gave up and our relationship remained shallow. Not enemies, just not really friends.

Steve Ozanich wrote in his great TMS healing book, THE GREAT PAIN DECEPTION, that he kept playing golf despite the pain and ignored it. Between that and discovering he had been repressing rage about a doctor who botched an operation on his wife that left her in a wheelchair, he healed of his pain.

So I hope you will take part in that charity race. Work yourself up to it gradually. The pain is coming back or moving around because that's what the subconscious does until we discover our repressed emotions.

 

[Bluesky]

Hi Walt,

Thanks for your reply, it helps to hear how you and others have dealt with TMS and to read about Steve Ozanich's book and approach as well.

I will continue to journal and look into feeling the repressed emotions which must be causing this current flare up. Thanks again for the feedback, it helps to talk to others who share an understanding of TMS.

 

[Bluesky]

Hi all,

I'm finding this pretty hard because over the past few days the pain has gone up and down, with times where it has hardly been there at all.

I went to the doctor after a couple of days to get their opinion (I never want to just assume something is TMS straight off, as per Dr Sarno's advice). She struggled to make a diagnosis but said nothing was ruptured and it may be hamstring pain. This reassured me because she didn't identify anything which was obviously severely wrong. She suggested taking ibuprofen and stretching. I had tried to avoid taking painkillers up to then but had taken ibuprofen twice because it was really sore and was affecting my concentration in work. Since then I have taken them again a couple of times but am really trying to avoid it.

Since then I've been journalling, looking at TMS success stories and keeping up with gentle exercise. Yesterday there were times when the pain was hardly there so I went out to try and jog this morning but even when walking, the pain was very present. This is hugely affecting my mood because I am now very confused about whether this is TMS or not. The pain has moved around the site a little bit and does fluctuate, but I am doing the suggested things and it does not seem to be improving consistently.

Any advice would be much appreciated, I am going to read the affirmations on the wiki now. Many thanks.