Day 18 Moving Symptoms

So this weekend my neck pain has been substituted by anxiety and panic. For me, if its not the symptoms associated with my neck pain (pressure, ear fullness, dizziness, weakness, etc..) then its the feeling of panic....I have difficulty breathing comfortably, find myself taking very shallow breaths subconciously, my heart starts beating faster and I'm much more aware of it. I am very familiar with panic attacks, as I first experienced these lovely episodes after my dad died suddenly 4 yrs ago. Those attacks made me realize how easily psychological emotions can manifest in physical symptoms, but I still never associated my neck pain with them. I always assumed the pain was a result of structural issues caused by working at a desk/computer all day...until I read the Mindbody Prescription. The panic attacks eventually went away with therapy and medication, until this past christmas, when I was dealing with other major events that had happened. I decided to start therapy again and within weeks, my neck pain started to get way more intense..and not surprisingly, my panic attacks subsided. I knew that it was probably because I was so focused on finding out what was wrong with my neck. Well now I realize that's exactly the point of TMS and it was working. I guess my point is just that looking back on how everything has played out, what was physically happening while certain emotional events were taking place, it definitely gives me some validation of this tricky syndrome. The hard part is re-conditioning my brain to think differently of my symptoms so that they stop controlling my life. I'm so over it!

 

Hi, nelsonaj. I doubt that your symptoms are structural or from working at a desk and computer. Try not to condition your mind to believe that.
Pains and anxiety come and go and come again because we are living in such high-pressure times. We need to spend more time quietly relaxing. Meditation is a big part of that. I especially like the Relaxation Response...

Meditation is a time-honored way of relaxing the mind and relieving anxiety, mental stress, headaches, and even physical pain. There are many ways to practice meditation, but many consider the most successful to be a technique called the Relaxation Response (RR).

It is a wonderful way to practice TMS Mindbody Healing because it changes harmful thinking in the subconscious mind which Dr. John Sarno says causes pain that is not caused by anything structural.

The RR, practiced once or twice a day for 10, 15, or 20 minutes has a profound positive effect on the subconscious mind, relieving or curing everything from anxiety, hypertension, headaches, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, high blood pressure, insomnia, stomach problems, all forms of pain including backaches, abdominal pain, muscle pain, neck, arm, and leg pain, and relieves side affects from cancer and AIDS.

RR is like Transcendental Meditation which is taught by TM specialists who charge hundreds or thousands of dollars. But the RR is free and you can do it yourself.

It is practiced, before a meal, and works best if not practiced within two hours after a meal. I do it in bed before arising in the morning and again in bed before falling sleep. Often, I only do it 5 or 10 minutes and it works to calm me and put me to sleep.

Just sit in a chair (or lie in bed in the morning or at bedtime), close your eyes, don’t listen to any music, and try to avoid outside noises. Let your mind think of a word such as

"One " which has no real meaning or association. Or say a calming word such as “Calm” or “Peace,” or add the faith or spiritual element by saying a favorite religious word or prayer. Breathe naturally or incorporate Deep Breathing by breathing in through the mouth to inflate the stomach, suck in the stomach while holding the breath for a few seconds, then say the word when you exhale through the mouth.

Say the word silently over and over. At the end of the 10 to 20 minutes, picture and feel yourself as you were when you felt your best, and in a place where you felt that way.

When distracting thoughts arise during the RR, as they will, just tell yourself, “Oh, well,” and go back to repeating your chosen word.

My "word" is a prayer: "God loves me and is protecting me." I say it a few times and go right to sleep. If my mind wanders onto other things, I tell myself"Oh, well," and repeat my mantra silently while deep breathing.

There are several free videos on Youtube about the Relaxation Response. I especially recommend these two by Dr. Benson:

 

very tricky indeed. Good luck to you and keep us posted.