1. Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
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New Program Day 11: Pain Reprocessing

Discussion in 'General Discussion Subforum' started by Alan Gordon LCSW, Jul 28, 2017.

  1. Lynn S

    Lynn S Peer Supporter

    The statement "But if you're a chronic pain suffer" in this simply put explanation of somatic tracking makes me cry. I sat with these feelings for a while and will look at the videos tomorrow. Wow everything in its' own time.
     
  2. Treedreams

    Treedreams Newcomer

    Ah Nicole— I just came here a week ago, due to a new injury. After spending so many years shifting my attention from a triple groun region injury-/ pudendal, ilionguinal and genitofemoral— I was not letting myself believe I had fractured my foot. Just reaching out because thanks to Dr. Schubiner — and mybiwn prolonged work in recovery, I went from the torture you describe so well —when I did not sit for three years, and could no longer walk and had a full time aide and was on huge quantities of opiates (which in the end exacerbated the issue not to mention made me nearly psychotic)— and total isolation from family and society— to a happy, fully functioning person (and now grandma of three) and completely off all pain killers. I never thought there could be a second without pain let alone a whole day— but IT HAPPENED!! And it will— and already us for you! So keep going girl!! And remember you are a hero! The reality is the bike tides and you will be able to show up for everything some day soon without pain. I am 100% positive. Also maybe check out a pelvic pain expert Lorraine... don’t remember last name, but very MB’s oriented and wonderful. Good luck!
     
  3. Treedreams

    Treedreams Newcomer

    Anders, I’m not a doctor or expert but from my personal experience — in my case, having bizarre yet very real physiological occurrences, injuries, illnesses and heightened pain reactions since a child— everything you are describing could very likely be treated through this MBS approach. Even before I learned about MBS or treatment approaches I was working with it to heal the very real illness of ulcerative colitis— not with more invasive tests or surgery or medicine but with my mind. The mind is powerful and thus is a method of unmasking the imposter as well as learned by yo show up fir and live yourself. Above all this is s method of experimenting, observing, recording and doing—convincing yourself as well as shifting your perspective. It leads to freedom and joy. It is for you Snders! Don’t give up -/ keep going.
     
  4. NicoleB34

    NicoleB34 Well known member

    Hi there, i do like seeing success stories. i read Shubiner's book, but i think my pain has less to do with emotions/trauma, and more to do with fearful thinking and lack of living in the moment. i also have a very "uppity" nervous system, complete with anxiety and insomnia. I have to figure out how to calm myself down. Trying meditation and deep breathing, but i'm so horrible at it. I think Steve O.'s book was my most inspirational read.
     
  5. Bodhigirl

    Bodhigirl Well known member

    I’m back and revisiting each lesson, savoring and relearning. This is such a process! I am amazed how I can learn something and then... voila! Forget it.
    What lesson? What safety? What TMS?
    When Buddha became enlightened, his arch enemy, Mara, appeared and shot thousands of arrows of doubt at him. He did not hate Mara, he did not fight Mara. ...instead, he placed his hand upon the earth and said, “I see you, Mara.”
    I see my anxiety! I see my self doubt! Tension. Rage. And tiny rages which I affectionately call irritability. I see my hankering for adrenaline and pain and drama.
    I have another saying attributed to the Buddha, hanging on the wall by my meditation shrine: “I have met the builder and broken the ridge pole. I will not build that house again.”
    To me, that house is the ego and its defenses. My TMS is a defense against feeling my feelings.
    At the present moment, I am in real pain. I’m taking a staycation this week to recover from an elective surgery and I am reminded over and over that pain only lasts when I fear it. When I affirm that I am at ease, that I am safe, that some pain is normal after surgery... the pain literally melts away. Again and again.
    I love Alan’s instruction to be snorkeling by the little fish, watching them in wonder. Just like the cool little fish that appeared when I typed “fish”.
    It’s a journey, a process, and there is always something to relearn, to revisit, to see more clearly. Grateful to you all.
     
    Hayley, suky, Pemberley and 2 others like this.
  6. dada

    dada New Member

    Hi, I suffered for more then 20 years from lower back pain, to a point where I could hardly walk.
    These days I manage my pain, but I’m not there yet.
    I suggest you go back to the origin of all the tms approach and read Dr. Sarno ‘s book : healing back pain. I think it is good a starting point. If you haven’t done that yet....
    And what helps me is that when I read the books or this program, I note some headlines, key sentences. Sometimes I need to read the same page, paragraph, sentence, over and over again until I really get it. I think this is also part of the issue, the brain is preventing me in a way to absorb it all. So writing helps me a lot. Then if I feel the need, I go back to my notes and then I read just the key sentences....
    It is a process. I started by reading Dr. Sarno more then 4 years ago. It changed my life and my physical situation. But then the pain and symptoms moved to other places, and then back to lower back etc.... yes we do need to be patient....
    As you can see, there are many of us out there, feeling exactly like you.
    Take care
     
  7. ter456

    ter456 New Member

    Like so many of you and Lunar, I often feel so overwhelmed. I have read Sarno's book, other TMS doc's book and that whole idea of subconscious rage and other "volcanic" emotions spilling into our conscious minds (where our brain/subconscious mind tries to distract us with physical pain) is so different to me than what Alan is teaching. It's like our brains' do not know any better. It cannot tell when we are really in danger or not and gets confused by turning on the pain (danger signal) even in response to our emotions that are not dangerous (they may not feel so hot when we experience painful emotions, but generally are not dangerous). So, I've been doing this in earnest for over 6 months (but recently with alan's program) and the most difficult thing for me to imagine is being indifferent or as Alan would say ("not giving a shit) even when the pain is really bad. Yesterday (I get a lot of pain from sitting and standing and even lying in bed sometimes) I was in so much pain sitting in the car, I was crying and (my husband was driving) saying,"get me the hell out of here). So, I can't wrap my brain around the idea of being indifferent to pain, especially when it is really bad. And that makes me feel depressed and defeated because right now I don't feel as if I will ever be able to do that as it seems to goes against human nature (at least for most people). I guess the thing to do is not even think that far ahead as this day's lesson talks about...with graded exposure....one day at a time. And for many of us, it took years for this pain (s) to develop, so I think we need to have an open mind that it could take awhile for it to heal. Thanks to everyone...Teri
     
  8. pelvicpain123

    pelvicpain123 New Member

    Hello everyone

    I have a question with regards to the tracking exercise
    When I begin to track my anxiety I start to feel really anxious and almost like I’m having a panic attack, this continues for the whole duration of the tracking and hangs around for a while afterward
    My question is, how can I maintain a feeling of safety when I feel completely unsafe, even if cognitively I am not panicking, my body feels really anxious.
     
    Bodhigirl likes this.
  9. Gemma

    Gemma New Member

    Hi - What makes you think that you should feel safe when doing the tracking exercise? You are physically safe because you are sitting in your own house. I would challenge you to lean into the anxiety. The idea is that you get to the root of the anxiety. There is no way to go round it. You need to go through it! Once you feel it fully you can let it go.

    I remember doing journalling on my journey and I was sobbing throughout the whole thing. You first need to feel the emotional/anxiety pain so that the actual pain will stop knocking at your door.
     
    Lainey likes this.
  10. pelvicpain123

    pelvicpain123 New Member


    I see what your saying, thank you for the info
     
  11. Jeannette

    Jeannette New Member

    Thank you! I appreciate the time you took to explain it this way. To back off and look at the bigger picture helps me understand better why some pain persists. You answered a lot of questions.
     
  12. Karim

    Karim Peer Supporter

    I have pain 24 7
     
    lindyr likes this.
  13. Karim

    Karim Peer Supporter

    I have pain fof over 10 yrs how would i be afraid i already know is not dangerous since i do sports and excercise why the pain doesnt go?? How would this apply to me??, i have learned that this isnt gonna kill me hello over 10 yrs why i still have crps?
     
  14. Alan Gordon LCSW

    Alan Gordon LCSW TMS Therapist

    Hey Karim,
    Sorry to hear what you’re going through. I had pain 24/7 at one point too. Even if we don’t feel fear in the traditional sense, any kind of resistance (frustration, annoyance, etc.) is all under the umbrella of fear.

    When the pain is really bad and really persistent, it’s really hard not to pay attention to it all the time and it’s hard not to pay attention to it with a sense of frustration and intensity. But unfortunately this just serves to reinforce to the brain that it’s dangerous.

    Sometimes when it’s hard to pay attention to the pain through a different lens, the best thing to do is tell your brain that it isn’t dangerous, and practice bringing your attention to other sensations in your body that are more pleasant (or at least neutral.) I’d look at day 20 of the program. Often the pain fades incidentally as we get better at gravitating toward feelings and sensations that make us feel good. (Since attending to things that feel good subcommunicates messages of safety to our brains).

    Alan
     
    Eric "Herbie" Watson likes this.
  15. Karim

    Karim Peer Supporter

    I have Lots of symptoms when am distracted my pain subsidies but the most annoying symptom is the excercise intolerance, i get flush AND has to develop a Way yo excercise un small repetitions cause if i overdoo i get super diZzy AND hot like suffocating feeling. I get fainting spells
     
  16. TrustIt

    TrustIt Well known member

    i know exactly what you mean. i miss my old self, too. i have always been healthy. about 15 years ago, i developed a post nasal thing that drove me crazy. it was absolutely 24/7. started me down rabbit holes i never knew existed. i am terrified of the conventional medical system, due i'm certain to some traumatic experiences in hospitals in my 20's. i am now 72. amazing how things lodge in one's brain and then come up so many years later. long story that i won't repeat here, as i have entered my story on this site. but, cutting to the chase, i developed digestive issues with some scary symptoms and consequently awful health anxiety, which i am still currently dealing with. am better, but not done yet. i get SO ANGRY that i "feel" powerless over this pain/anxiety and can very quickly slide down into self-pity and cry, cry, cry. i journal about that anger and can't write fast enough, large enough, or press down hard enough with my pen to express the rage i am REALLY feeling at the time. i meditate every day. the sinus issues have considerably improved, but the abdominal and back pain are now my most "unacceptable" symptoms. i hate fear. it's a big fat LIAR! i keep reading that one should definitely get checked out by a doctor before assuming tms, but doctors are often wrong and scare me more than having something wrong and dying from it. yes, i mean that. i have been on tsuchroller coaster. i want it to be tms so that i can deal with it myself and not have to endure exams, tests, treatments....AARGH! even those words trigger me! i think i've gone way off topic here, but i'm going to leave it in case anything rings with anyone else. this forum helps me with my doubting brain a lot more than dr. google, who scares the willy out of me most of the time. yes, i do feel lost and overwhelmed at times. i'm sure most of us here have and some still do. i want to hear other people's stories...especially success stories. i think we all need that. wishing everyone success in their journey.
     
  17. TrustIt

    TrustIt Well known member

    i have the same awful burning/aching in pelvic area. am trying an herbal pain/anxiety reliever to help me break this cycle, the loop of pain/fear/anxiety/pain/etc. for same reason as you...got to function! i, too, wonder if i am delaying my recovery with that. i do sink into self-pity, but when i do, i just cry it out and eventually get tired of that. i have never been a easy cryer, but this has brought it out! i guess that's a good thing. i have digestive issues, and that has now moved from my stomach to incorporate the entire pelvic region. it seems to get worse towards the end of the day and i loooooong for time to go to bed and sleep. i feel intuitively that it is all tms, moving about with it's messages so i'm just keeping the faith and keeping my thoughts on emotions rather than body. i am certainly learning patience! we will get to the other side of this and finally know and be who we really are instead of this character that has been programmed to conform to impossible cultural standards. this forum is so helpful.
     
  18. TrustIt

    TrustIt Well known member

    plum, your posts are always so beautifully and tenderly expressed. very uplifting. thank you. could i come live with you? :)
     
  19. TrustIt

    TrustIt Well known member

    i know exactly what you go through with babysitting your grandchildren situation. i love them to pieces, but i also find it very stressful. i have fearful thoughts about saying yes to something i really don't want to do and then making myself ill with the guilt and the possibility that i might have to rinig on my agreement b/c i am ill. my responsibility level has always been unreasonably high and i am just now, at 72, coming to the calming realization that i can be helpful while not being responsible. and it's ok to change my mind and to change a plan. that extreme responsibility plays out in everything...including my body. if i am responsible then i have to do everything right...eating healthy, resting, sleeping, meditating, supplements...when i realized that this is more about control than responsibility. i think our apparent lack of control over pain, anxiety, and such is the culprit b/c we do get frightened when we feel out of control.
     
  20. kim marie

    kim marie Peer Supporter

    I'm feeling more afraid of the pain being TMS because I don't know if I beat it .having a bad day .Listening to Allen talk her though the pain helps but I just freakout because I won't so bad to get out of pain .this pain is all over my body so bad I can drive ,shop ,take care of myself I cry .iñ 2013 I learned about TMS then it was be mean or beatup or subconscious brain it work for a little while then back in 2014 I lost my brother and was abused by a doctor it was back worse now I'm trying TMS again more afraid this time because if I don't make it I can't live in this pain. Thank you all for your help .I'm lost but hopefully I'll be I'll make it ...and find myself again...
     

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