Is there a difference between anxiety pain and TMS pain?

Hi. My subject line says it all. I wonder...is there such a thing as anxiety pain that is not TMS? Or would you consider all TMS pain caused by anxiety? Thoughts/ideas appreciated!

 

My reading of Dr. Sarno and others on TMS leads me to believe that anxiety pain is another kind of pain from TMS
repressed emotions and a perfectionist, "goodist" personality. I have anxiety because of workload and financial pressures,
and Dr. Sarno says those bring on TMS pain.

Anxiety is a tough one to overcome, but I manage most of the time by deep breathing, not worrying about the future
and just living in the present. I also find pleasant distractions, even if just watching a movie. If all else fails, I laugh.
There may not be anything to laugh at or about, but I pretend. Laughing drives away the anxiety.

I also think about what's making me anxious, and I usually conclude that it's not worth being anxious about.

 

Hi Walt! I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand. I think you are saying that Anxiety Pain is TMS pain, from what you've read...is this correct? The reason I ask, is it seems many people have various TMS pain it seems and that it has moved from one place to another. I guess in a sense that has happened to me since I had some serious TMJ pain for about 2 months last summer, but this pain in my calf started last October and has pretty much parked here since then...never going to other parts of my body (except occasional sciatic type pain, but 95% in upper right calf).

Thanks for your response!!

 

Anxiety serves the same purpose as pain as far as they are both mental distractions. They are TMS equivalents. When my anxiety is high I am not as focused on the pain and visa versa. The pain does not need to move for it to be TMS. I had lower back pain last for over three years once without moving. That was my first big TMS symptom. Now that I am finally having tangible success in my TMS recovery, things move pretty quickly. I am hoping eventually the pain doesn't come at all but even if that doesn't happen, I feel like I am basically okay now.

 

Thanks, Anne! This weekend has been SO tough. My pain is so high. I'm so frustrated and anxious...I keep doubting myself. I appreciate the encouragement.

 

My advice, SSG, is to not over-analyze TMS theory. I'm a very analytical person by nature, and I did that for awhile. You want to understand the concepts and theory, but don't get too deep into it or it will serve as a distraction and delay your healing. This was true for me. I think it was Steve Ozanich who first, very kindly, told me to just give up the analyzing and roll up my sleeves and start applying the theory to my life. I followed his advice and started making more progress after that.

 

I believe according to Dr. Sarno, TMS of all kinds is caused by REPRESSED RAGE. Anxiety is an affecttive (emotional) TMS symptom versus a physical TMS symptom such as back pain. Other affective TMS symptoms along with anxiety would be conditions such as OCD and depression. The anxiety serves as a distraction from feeling and dealing with the emotionally charged life situations consciously head-on.

 

Another take on this for me is: The other night I experienced the longest earthquake I've ever been through. The windows were rattling and I was in FEAR that the building was going to fall on me and I was going to DIE. It stopped shaking, I felt better and (maybe foolishly) went back to sleep--lucked out this time. If I were constantly worrying about another earthquake occurring at any moment, and it kept me from functioning and doing the things I liked on a daily basis, I think that might be TMS anxiety.

I'm not totally clear on this anxiety thing and it's exact scientific explanation from a psychiatric TMS definition being a TMS hobbyist amateur. It's been the source of many a heated debate over at the other TMS board. It seems to me to be a question of the chicken and the egg, which came first the anxiety or the TMS, the fear or the symptom, or the fear of the symptom--it may be a circular argument in a wanna' be linear world.

Maybe TMS'ers can't see the forest for the trees--speaking of forest, isn't Forest on vacation, maybe when he comes back he can clarify this conundrum? I'm getting anxious and confused about this--it's way past my bedtime--I think I'm over-thinking this, I hope it doesn't give me insomnia--but if it does, I'll go change the oil on the Jeep.

 

Yes, Tom, I agree...it is a confusing thought. For me personally, I believe the anxiety came before the TMS, but now it is clear to me that it is a revolving door/cycle. From what I read, I believe that if we can get a firm grip on this anxiety monster, then our TMS pain will hit the road. That is my hope!

 

Claire Weekes has some great advice on overcoming anxiety in her book Hope and Help for Your Nerves.

I'm working on a post about anxiety and should have it up in a few days, quoting her and others.

 

Thanks SSG, In my 66 years, I've twice been prescribed rx tranquilizers or anti-depressants, for short term (two weeks to a month), to get through anxiety or depression rough patches. I did not get addicted and was happy to easily wean off of them when they served their purpose and I returned to positive functioning.

 

Question for Forest if you're following, do you think meds are a useful short-term tool for TMS'ers for anxiety, or could you address this question to the TMS Expert Panelists?

Cheers,
tt

P.S. I'm on the Oregon Trail and brought Nicole with me (the book) and will try my best to re-read the appropriate chapters or 1/2's and join in for tomorrow eve's Fuse. I didn't bring my Torani Amer, but will stop by the Gov liquor store nearby and pick-up some provisions.