Just starting (again)

Hi - I'm starting to do this work with a little more attention - I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a few years ago which at last explained more than 5 decades of chronic pain that started as a little kid. When I was 17 I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis - purely by symptoms because the blood tests were negative. After that I struggled for years with intermittent chronic fatigue, tendonitis in my wrists, ankles and arms, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, chronic stomach issues - the list really does go on, so I will spare you. In between, though, I would also have stretches of good health and incredible energy - it was sort of like a physical form of manic depression.

When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I suddenly had an explanation as to why there were so many different symptoms and no blood tests or injuries that corroborated or explained what was going on. Unfortunately, I was also told that there was no cure and that I would probably have to be on strong antidepressants to help deal with the pain and sleeplessness. I started to research fibromyalgia and saw that it was related to trauma and fight or flight. I had already been in therapy with a wonderful therapist for several years - and for her, there was no problem that was not solvable. I decided to take that attitude with me. One sleepless, painful night I was scrolling online for alternative therapies for fibromyalgia and that's when I stumbled on a YouTube lecture by Howard Shubiner. It was instant recognition for me - and once I knew about it, I felt better almost instantly. I figured I was cured!

I did a little bit of work on Curable. I listened to some lectures. I did a couple of journal entries and I started to change the language in my head - substituting positive messages for negative ones and telling myself that pain was no big deal. After that, I just stopped working on it and for the most part I felt better.

But during the last three years I've been dealing with so much stress (death of a brother, then death of a long-time partner, moving from my home and community to be close to my mom, lots of other stressors - both good and bad) - and suddenly I was getting sick a lot and having all this old, terrifying thoughts. I literally forgot about TMS in a pretty fundamental way. More accurately - I was suffering from some different symptoms, new pains - my brain had cleverly figured out how to bypass my defenses.

It has taken me close to a year to realize that the only way out of this is to go through the program. So here I am.

 

Hello @Monyp and welcome
So many folks here have some initial success with TMS work ... some even had what used to be called "Book Cures" by reading Dr. Sarno's book and then being free from symptoms...for a time.
But doing the work is recognizing that TMS is not just physical pain, but a whole lot of things - anxiety, coping mechanisms, personality traits, patterns we learned etc. incorporating the "work" into your life takes time and consistency but it's amazing how it can change things for the better. "The work" varies for so many people. Some need a deep dive into emotions, others just look at their stressors and accept their anger, others need to learn relaxation techniques. The great thing about the Structured Education Program is it lets you dabble in a bit of everything so you can find out the things that work best for you. The main things you need to begin with are the will to help yourself and the determination to be consistent and follow through!

Good Luck!