Clearing up confusion about TMS

Thank you!

 

I haven't found Alan Gordon very helpful because I feel like he just repeats the same talking points over and over and doesn't explain TMS very well. The psychologist I talked to from his business back in 2017 just told me "there's nothing to fear" over and over without going into any details about anything and it was completely useless. I read Alan's whole book a year ago and it doesn't even come close to Dr. Sarno's book when it comes to explaining TMS.

 

Yup doctors tend to just take imaging and give you pain pills and physical therapy and that's the extent of their brain power when it comes to pain. They really don't know that much about chronic pain.

 

I think as bad as the pain is, the fear is so much worse because of how it restricts you. That's the scariest part to me. I'm very inefficient with my daily activities and it's terrifying because I have responsibilities and expectations and things have to get done by a certain time. I also used to do weightlifting and it pains me to not be able to do any resistance training without a huge amount of pain and fear to the point where I rarely do it.

 

When I went back to it i had to go in like 'Sarno meditative mode'.... I prepare something that I have discovered bugs me....a GF who left me, a Job I am pissed about, etc...and then when I am lifting and feel anything, I started talking to 'It' (the TMS) like it was an annoying helicopter parent of whiny sibling.

"I know I am pissed about her leaving me alone , but I am gonna work out, so you just need to shut up and leave me alone...I'm nervous about the rent with this lower paying job, but me sitting around turning into a marshmallow is only making it worse, so you need to leave NOW!"

What I started noticing is I was no longer paying attention to my workout , but to the emotional things and I went through each exercise and any time I got a twinge, started a dialogue from my list of 'conscious stressors'...I also talked out loud, refuting the structural conditioning and fear that had crept in.All from well meaning PTs and Doctors. I had gotten sciatica after squats, so I told myself "Yeah mr Brain, sciatic nerve, whoever...This is totally conditioned and I am gonna do this so you can go F off...I am really just afraid and you hanging around isn't helping and I know what you're doing...I am not pavlovs dog. Or I am, but I don't wanna be anymore"

it took a few times and I of course worked out alone lest anybody think I am hairballed insane, BUT it did work. It just took a bunch of reconditioning my brain ala Sarno style.

 

Appreciate the advice, I will definitely keep this in mind from now on!