Psychotherapy Stressors

I had a question for those of you that have been to psychotherapy or journal. I have been bottling up an issue that I think might be related to my TMS for a couple of years. My therapist pulled it out of me today and it was extraordinarily emotional. He even went ten minutes over in therapy with me. I have been feeling stressed and emotional about this all day and evening, and cannot break the cycle of anxiety. Part of the problem is that the issue/conflict has no real good resolution, other than me coming to terms with it and to stop trying to be a goodist. Interestingly, with the increased anxiety I have also noticed a decrease in most of my symptoms, but an increase in one random area of pain. Not sure if that is a good or bad sign. I apologize for rambling, and am not even sure what my question is, but any thoughts on how to deal with these new feelings or similar experiences would be much appreciated. Thanks! Bob

 

The decrease in symptoms is right, that's how it works. Since the anxiety and symptoms are equivalents, they complement each other. The symptoms exist to prevent you from felling your anxiety, that's your brain's favor to you. So if the symptoms decrease the anxiety will rise since the symptom is no longer substituting for it.

GAD is rage from fear. And remember, you can do psychotherapy forever, crying through trauma, but that doesn't guarantee healing. Healing requires that you understand what is occurring both mentally and physically. That means to understand what your brain is doing, its purpose, the equivalents, etc.

The increase in one random area is your brain's new central focus. That is also normal. The overall shifting is a tremendous sign that you can heal. Congratulations.

You don't have to stop being a goodist to heal. You just have to do it from another perspective of genuineness.

SO

 

It sounds like you had an important, powerful insight today. Give yourself a couple of days to live with it, turn it over in your head, get used to experiencing the newly unbottled feelings. You don't have to solve anything today. Find something that will comfort and nourish you -- like a favorite food, or something enjoyable and relaxing to do. Before long, the intensity of the feelings will decrease, and you'll be able to go on with new understanding.

You are doing great.

 

Thanks Steve and David, that is extremely helpful. I will try to relax and get used to the feelings, and appreciate those specific suggestions David.

So to Steve's point, what do I do with the information now? The next time the pain starts, do I try to focus on these feelings rather than the pain, understanding that my brain is trying to trick me into avoiding these feelings?

P.S. Steve - just finished your book and loved it. Your just do it chapter got me back to the gym for the first time in quite awhile.

 

I can make people that I consult with cry, it happens often. but that doesn't always take symptoms away. It seems like they begin to heal if what I bring up was not expected. But if it was known to them, like a parent dying or their divorce, it seems to have little impact. Crying doesn't always relate to healing but it's important to cry up to a point.

The idea is as you said here, to think of the pain as rage, and to severe the emotional attachment to the pain. You also have to become aware that you can't sense the magnitude of your rage. It's huge, and therefore unacceptable to society. Hence, the repression.

I'm glad you're back in the gym. The most important first step it to become active again to teach your brain that movement will not harm you. It will build your confidence. But never go to the gym for pain reduction, that's a big mistake. Go to get healthier. There's nothing to "do" when it comes to healing, since there's nothing wrong. The real work comes from inside.

People are healing literally every day, why not you? There is always a good resolution to your problems, let them go. When you let go of the anchor around your neck you free yourself. But why do you hold onto it? Because it's your current knowledge.

 

Awesome, that is extremely helpful, and thank you for taking the time to help me understand this process!

Bob

 

Good luck Bob100, you've been a great improvement on Bob99. I look forward to Bob101 that feels like a new person.

Let me know how you do. It's important in helping others. With every healing more is learned and passed on.

SO