Diana-M
Beloved Grand Eagle
I’ve been working out in my head whether the Sarno method is compatible or opposed to the neuroplasticity approach. (And I guess, there’s a third method—eliminating perceived danger/adrenalin.)
John Sarno says the thousands of patients healed by his method are proof enough that it works. I can’t see how anyone could deny that.
Neuroplasticity methods (ie, Alan Gordon, David Hanscom) are gaining traction, and have some scientific data to back them up, as well as success stories.
Dan Buglio (perceived danger approach) and Claire Weekes (renowned anxiety expert), have certainly helped thousands.
Personally, I have really been slammed with one heck of a TMS episode over the last three years. Haven’t been able to crack the code yet— but I consider it just a matter of time. I guess I was a little soured on Dr. Sarno because I spent six months at the beginning of this episode working his program hard, every day, with no success. (Several years prior, I had had a book healing.) Since I wasn’t getting anywhere, I took Sarno’s advice and I pursued psychotherapy for 3 years. It was hard-core and nearly killed me. Symptoms more than doubled during that time and my anxiety went through the roof until I finally dropped doing the therapy.
Now, I’m circling back to Sarno after a year of being here on the forum— and I’m seeing that things take time —probably more time than you think. And there’s just a whole lot more to learn— most of which you can only really learn from others who have healed. That’s why this form is so incredibly valuable.
Where do I stand now? I think I’m back with Dr. Sarno more than anything. However, I think the other approaches definitely soothe your nervous system and that’s important too.
Sarno himself agrees with soothing because he says this in his book, The MindBody Prescription:
It is not simply the quantity of rage that brings on symptoms, but the presence or absence of counterbalancing soothing factors.
Is it possible there are pain channels wired together in our brains (like the neuroplasticity camp says) AND our subconscious brain is depriving our body of oxygen to distract us from rage, as Dr. Sarno says?
Sarno and all other camps seem to emphasize looking at our lives and finding where we are hard on ourselves. Our traits cause TMS, they all say. But the Sarno method also emphasizes looking for what is causing inner rage. The conflicts in your subconscious mind. This requires a lot of work to find. I think some people do shy away from it, and maybe like me, leave this approach before they’ve given it time to work.
Most recently I had a little success by journaling deeper than usual, looking harder than usual for things that are hurting me, things that are hiding in plain sight. And also, by yelling at my brain and doing activities through the pain.
I happen to have ongoing situations that I cannot change that are very difficult. Sarno and all other parties agree that you don’t have to be able to leave these scenarios, but it will be more difficult to heal. But I have been able to limit and/or eliminate other difficult people in my life.
My current plan is to finish Dr. Hanscom’s app (the DOC app). I’m 2/3 of the way through that three month program— with no real changes evident yet. But, he says it will take time to build new pain-free channels in your brain around the old pain channels. His method also requires journaling every day, which I have faithfully been doing, although he says to write about anything you want, not necessarily what you are angry about.
I’m going to turn up the Sarno heat by reading from his books every day, journaling more aggressively about anger (with soothing afterward), yelling at my brain, and forcing myself to do things that I don’t want to do because of the pain (or because I’m anxious and afraid.) I’m going to stand up to my TMS, basically.
What approaches have you tried? Do you think these various methods are compatible or incompatible with each other? What are your thoughts on them, in general? What do you think of my plan?
— Sorry this is so long!
John Sarno says the thousands of patients healed by his method are proof enough that it works. I can’t see how anyone could deny that.
Neuroplasticity methods (ie, Alan Gordon, David Hanscom) are gaining traction, and have some scientific data to back them up, as well as success stories.
Dan Buglio (perceived danger approach) and Claire Weekes (renowned anxiety expert), have certainly helped thousands.
Personally, I have really been slammed with one heck of a TMS episode over the last three years. Haven’t been able to crack the code yet— but I consider it just a matter of time. I guess I was a little soured on Dr. Sarno because I spent six months at the beginning of this episode working his program hard, every day, with no success. (Several years prior, I had had a book healing.) Since I wasn’t getting anywhere, I took Sarno’s advice and I pursued psychotherapy for 3 years. It was hard-core and nearly killed me. Symptoms more than doubled during that time and my anxiety went through the roof until I finally dropped doing the therapy.
Now, I’m circling back to Sarno after a year of being here on the forum— and I’m seeing that things take time —probably more time than you think. And there’s just a whole lot more to learn— most of which you can only really learn from others who have healed. That’s why this form is so incredibly valuable.
Where do I stand now? I think I’m back with Dr. Sarno more than anything. However, I think the other approaches definitely soothe your nervous system and that’s important too.
Sarno himself agrees with soothing because he says this in his book, The MindBody Prescription:
It is not simply the quantity of rage that brings on symptoms, but the presence or absence of counterbalancing soothing factors.
Is it possible there are pain channels wired together in our brains (like the neuroplasticity camp says) AND our subconscious brain is depriving our body of oxygen to distract us from rage, as Dr. Sarno says?
Sarno and all other camps seem to emphasize looking at our lives and finding where we are hard on ourselves. Our traits cause TMS, they all say. But the Sarno method also emphasizes looking for what is causing inner rage. The conflicts in your subconscious mind. This requires a lot of work to find. I think some people do shy away from it, and maybe like me, leave this approach before they’ve given it time to work.
Most recently I had a little success by journaling deeper than usual, looking harder than usual for things that are hurting me, things that are hiding in plain sight. And also, by yelling at my brain and doing activities through the pain.
I happen to have ongoing situations that I cannot change that are very difficult. Sarno and all other parties agree that you don’t have to be able to leave these scenarios, but it will be more difficult to heal. But I have been able to limit and/or eliminate other difficult people in my life.
My current plan is to finish Dr. Hanscom’s app (the DOC app). I’m 2/3 of the way through that three month program— with no real changes evident yet. But, he says it will take time to build new pain-free channels in your brain around the old pain channels. His method also requires journaling every day, which I have faithfully been doing, although he says to write about anything you want, not necessarily what you are angry about.
I’m going to turn up the Sarno heat by reading from his books every day, journaling more aggressively about anger (with soothing afterward), yelling at my brain, and forcing myself to do things that I don’t want to do because of the pain (or because I’m anxious and afraid.) I’m going to stand up to my TMS, basically.
What approaches have you tried? Do you think these various methods are compatible or incompatible with each other? What are your thoughts on them, in general? What do you think of my plan?
— Sorry this is so long!
Last edited:
