Day 10 Working with TMS

I am so glad to have found this program and to be looking at the principles of TMS again. By following the program, journalling, acknowledging the current stress in my life and how this creates physical pain (helped by re-reading Dr Sarno's book on Healing Back Pain) I am pain free and competed in a race last week.

I went for a long run today and the level of anxiety I was experiencing about injuring myself has massively reduced. I am spending time in relaxation and meditation and trying to stay in touch with my feelings and 'think psychological' rather than physical. It is a huge relief and I can see now how the symptoms were creating a distraction from painful emotions.

Thanks to all on the forums for posting their experiences and for the encouragement. I am going to keep on with the program and journalling, all the best to everyone else on the program.

 

Hi, Bluesky. Thanks for posting about your wonderful TMS success.

You are doing everything right and that's healing your pain.

I think it would be good for you to keep on in the SEP, just for reinforcement.

Can you tell everyone what helped the most in the SEP and in TMS healing in general?
What did you journal about that helped the most?

I recently found this on the Internet and think it is good to keep in mind...

Douglas Fairbanks, the silent film star, suggested that everyone stop fretting about why things happen, and take life as it comes with a smile on your face and without taking anything too seriously.

 

Thanks Walt, the main point that helped me was to acknowledge the impact that current events in my life are having on me emotionally. There were three fairly major stressors at the time that the pain re-occurred. I had realised that these situations were stressful for me, but I hadn't acknowledged just how much they were affecting me and also the fear that they induced in me about the consequences for my future.

I am journalling about events in my past, which is useful for connecting me to my feelings, and am using short youtube videos for relaxation, which is very useful, even if just to get me to sit still and connect with myself for short periods.

I can see how my inclination is to push on through painful situations without stopping to see how they are affecting me or giving me time to feel my feelings. Consequently, the anger and anxiety are expressed in pain in my body....re-reading Dr Sarno's book is also helping a lot. Connecting with the more emotional side of myself is helping (although it is uncomfortable at times because I'm so used to silencing it). So I'm trying to change habits and being compassionate with myself along the way!