Alan G. General help for TMS symptoms

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Question

I sure could use some help. I see a therapist, she isn't aware of the TMS theory. I am being treated for anxiety, depression. Rheumatoid arthritis. It sucks. The culprit to all my ailments was sexual abuse until I was 8 by my oldest brother. I have had bouts with depression and many different sicknesses all my life. I want to live a good quality of life. I don't want this back pain, neck spasms throughout my back hands limbs legs feet to take my joy away. I listened to Dr. Sarno's healing back pain. Just getting started. I could use some help and support. I have a great faith in God. I just need guidance from a professional.

 

Answer

I'm sorry to hear about everything you've gone through. TMS, anxiety, and depression are common in people who have suffered from trauma, but it is definitely possible to overcome them. You didn't really ask a specific question, so I'll try to answer generally what I think would be important for you to incorporate.

One of the first and most important components to overcoming TMS is changing your relationship with the pain. Oftentimes people with TMS become obsessed and preoccupied with their symptoms. It is important to recognize that this preoccupation with the pain actually serves to reinforce the symptoms.

It is also important to alter your relationship with fear. The purpose of the pain is to scare you. So, it is important to challenge the fear associated with your symptoms; empower yourself. Beyond this, we want to help you get beneath the symptoms. Experiencing a trauma can elicit powerful emotions. One of the things you can work on with your therapist is processing these emotions. It is important to explore the possible rage associated with the sexual abuse you experienced as well as some other emotions it may have left you with (guilt, shame, etc.).

It is also important to explore your relationship with your self. What is your self esteem like? How do you feel about yourself? Do you love yourself or hate yourself? Do you praise or criticize yourself? TMS is often the body's way of rebelling from the way we treat ourselves. We all need to treat ourselves nicely as it is a great way to appease our bodies. One of the most important things I can tell you is to practice soothing yourself. Time does not exist in our primitive brain, so when we experience a trauma, our primitive brain could get stuck in that flight or fight state. Learning to soothe yourself, comfort that part of your brain that is like a scared child can help teach your body that you are no longer in danger. You are safe. You are safe now.

The following TMS Recovery Program expands on this a lot more and it might benefit you to go through it, read the articles, and listen to the sessions.
http://www.tmswiki.org/ppd/TMS_Recovery_Program

Take care,
Alan

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Hi, Alan. I had a roommate a long time ago who kept writing his name. I never understood why, except
now I wonder if he was trying to figure out who he was. Sometimes he would say that funny old line,
"I like myself, I think I'm grand. When I go to the show, I hold my hand."

I lost track of him so I don't know what ever became of him.

We do have to at least like ourselves.