What are your favorite TMS affirmations?

Dexy

Dexy

Peer Supporter
Well, good morning!

I am compiling a list for myself to refer to when I start to feel anxious and return my focus to physical symptoms, or start to believe my anxious thoughts.

What are your favorite affirmations and/or ways of standing up to your Inner Bully?

I find morning the most difficult time for my mind to go crazy and I am going to start using these affirmations and take control rather than letting my sub-conscious dominate! The hope is that this will become cemented in my subconscious so that I don't have to repeat these forever...but however long it takes, I am choosing to be okay with!

Cheers :)
 
Dexy said:
The hope is that this will become cemented in my subconscious so that I don't have to repeat these forever...but however long it takes, I am choosing to be okay with!
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This is a very positive and constructive outlook, Dexy, good job!

I have little flare-up symptoms all the time - maybe a little hint of a headache, low back pain, slight queasiness, muscle aches, nerve pain, tingling or numbness, and dizziness. These days they are very mild and they come and go, but it seems like there is always something. My most useful affirmation (which has indeed become second nature) is to reassure myself that there is nothing wrong with me, it's just my brain creating symptoms that are not related to anything. Then I visualize having a different sensation (of whatever it might be). This almost always works very quickly. It's hard to break the habits of 60 years (my age when I discovered Dr. Sarno in 2011) so I don't worry about the fact that I still have these symptoms - I think I'm doing pretty darn well!

When I was at my worst crisis point (pre-Sarno) mornings were the worst time for me as well - that's when depression was most likely to hit, but I realized later that depression was just another TMS symptom, because the last time I experienced it was only once after I started doing this work. Thanks to the things I was learning here and from doing the SEP, I recognized that the depression was nothing more than a (very) negative brain message trying to distract me, so I fought back and shut it down.

All the best Dexy, you're well on your way!

~Jan
 
My favorite is "Stop the worrying, it's been over a year with the same symptoms, if it was anything insidious it would have reared it's head by now."

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, depends on my mindset. I 100% believe that I would not be worrying to this extent had I stayed the he11 off of Google when the whole thing started.
 
mdh157 said:
My favorite is "Stop the worrying, it's been over a year with the same symptoms, if it was anything insidious it would have reared it's head by now."

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, depends on my mindset. I 100% believe that I would not be worrying to this extent had I stayed the he11 off of Google when the whole thing started.
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DITTO!

I try and do this one every single day while I'm just starting to wake up. I say to myself "No Pain, I will have no pain today, no pain" I say this at least 20 times sometimes it works other times it doesn't.
 
Here is my, "I am calm. I am relaxed. I am patient. I am confident. My back is normal". I say this about 100 times a day right now!!!
 
Great thread Dexy.

Some of my favourites, which I use daily are:

My body heals rapidly. I love every cell in my body. I am healthy and whole and filled with joy. Good health is mine now I release the past. I allow vitality and health to flow through me. I am gentle with my body and love myself. My body uses time to repair and rejuvenate itself. The more I relax the healthier I am. I lovingly do everything to assist my body into good health. My happy thoughts create my healthy body. I know that before others love me, I have to love myself, my self-love begins now.

An important point is to catch a negative thought when it's occurring and try not to follow it through, but to replace it with with a positive thought. The more often we do this via the practice of being mindful, the more our natural thinking shifts towards healthy habits.
 
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The only affirmation I've been using is 'I have Mind Body Syndrome' while pressing the hoku point - if I'm tense it helps a lot because it reminds me of what is going on (often it's enough to just press on the point). I wonder if I should use more affirmations or if this is all I need to do.
 
This is a great post!

I sometimes forget about the concept of TMS and then I have to remind myself when pain is increasing by saying, "oh yeah! It's just TMS, haha." Then I think about all the exceptions I've gathered thus far.

For anxiety I'll either pat myself on my heart or hold there and say "It's okay Oogie, you're safe, you're safe Oogie." Oogie was my nickname growing up! ;)

One that I stopped using was "no pain, I don't have time for you right now." I think I was giving myself the idea that "okay, well I'll bring back the pain later then."
 
If I'm feeling anxiety or a hint of pain I find that affirmations don't help me. What works for me is 4-7-8 breathing it has become a life raft to calm me. Once calmer I can usually figure out the trigger and will quickly journal it.

I do believe in thinking and living positively... Creative visualization. See it believe it as if it's in the here and now. But for me it doesn't calm anxiety or a throb of pain.
 
When I use the gentle approach, I tell my subC "I realize you think you're being helpful, but this pain is not productive. Let me explore the feelings, and I know the pain will leave."
When I'm more direct, I look in a mirror and say "Get the hell out of my _____! There is nothing structurally wrong with you."
I'm also a huge fan of "grateful"s. I celebrate the small victories, and big ones too when they occur.dancea
 
@Susan1111. I agree that focusing on your breathing will help better when anxiety is high and you need to bring yourself back to normal. The hoku point works well when my body is tense and I haven't paid attention to it. I think it's a good idea to use both techniques in different situations. I'm glad to have learned these simple tools, because they are effective - they enabled you to 'float' instead of being in fight-mode.

@Gigi. I'm also very much for focusing on what I'm grateful for, that is very important.
 
@Simplicity I'm unfamiliar with what a hoku point is? I'm sure I can Google it but curious from your personal perspective.
@Gigi although I'm grateful I have heard that being consciously grateful can be quite powerful.
 
Susan1111 said:
I'm unfamiliar with what a hoku point is? I'm sure I can Google it but curious from your personal perspective.
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It's an acupuncture point that one can use to reprogram the brain. Dr. Schubiner recommended it in the Unlearn Your Pain program. You can find information about it at the bottom of this page.
 
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mike2014 said:
Great thread Dexy.

Some of my favourites, which I use daily are:

My body heals rapidly. I love every cell in my body. I am healthy and whole and filled with joy. Good health is mine now I release the past. I allow vitality and health to flow through me. I am gentle with my body and love myself. My body uses time to repair and rejuvenate itself. The more I relax the healthier I am. I lovingly do everything to assist my body into good health. My happy thoughts create my healthy body. I know that before others love me, I have to love myself, my self-love begins now.

An important point is to catch a negative thought when it's occurring and try not to follow it through, but to replace it with with a positive thought. The more often we do this via the practice of being mindful, the more our natural thinking shifts towards healthy habits.
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Those are awesome affirmmations Mike, thanks for sharing!
 
I like to keep affirmations simple: "My pain is not structural, it's emotional from TMS. I also like the hoku acupressure point and alternative nostril breathing, also opening the nostrils with salt water using a Netti pot.
 
I got a new one that works pretty well! It's not easy to accept or understand at first but.... When my symptoms increase, change or when I start sensing fear I tell or think to myself: "alright, woohoo! My body is offering me another opportunity to re-wire my brain for the better! A new chance to be joyful when it expects me to be scared or pissed off." So not only is it practicing mindfulness, but I'm making something I originally thought to be negative into a positive experience.
 
giantsfan said:
I got a new one that works pretty well! It's not easy to accept or understand at first but.... When my symptoms increase, change or when I start sensing fear I tell or think to myself: "alright, woohoo! My body is offering me another opportunity to re-wire my brain for the better! A new chance to be joyful when it expects me to be scared or pissed off." So not only is it practicing mindfulness, but I'm making something I originally thought to be negative into a positive experience.
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Yes Yes!!!!
 
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