Day 1 resistance? revealing?

I've read Healing Back Pain; even before discovering the work of Dr Sarno I was inclined to believe my pain was emotionally-generated... either from on-the-spot stress or acquired "muscularization" habits relating to years of living under fearful conditions.

I'm 100% on board with TMS as a diagnosis (all tests fine, I've had a loose by-elimation diagnosis of fibromyalgia, but that shoe doesn't fit just right though my instinct tells me it was a manifestation of TMS anyway).

So on Day 1 I get this nagging feeling when I'm asked for my vision of life without TMS: without the physical pain OR without the emotions? Still a bit scared to "push play" on rough emotions. Is it better to hurt or get in the weeds with emotions? I know the right answer... but my resistance is revealed!

 

Hi, hedgehog. Love your wiki name.

You are well on your way to healing by believing so strongly that your pain is from TMS. It may be from repressed emotions, present or going back to childhood. Or it may be from a perfectionist and "goodist" personality, knocking yourself out for others so you will be liked. They are the most common causes of TMS pain.

I suggest you get in the weeds with your emotions. Feel them, then you can deal with them. Dr. Sarno says we don't have to solve the emotional problems we have, that just discovering and recognizing them is enough for our subconscious to stop the pain. I found that journaling helped me to discover my repressed emotions that went back to my boyhood. I was able to mentally forgive those who caused me emotional pain and that ended my severe back pain. We may be able to forgive but still not forget. Forgiving is the main thing.

Good luck in the SEP. It's a wonderful program to lead to self-discovery and become free of pain.

 

Walt, thank you. Getting a comment is therapeutic

May I ask a question?: could a "goodist" (apt term) outlook unfold because of one's dissatisfaction with themself? Maybe we tell ourselves we are being stellar & darling to impress/please others but it's really about pleasing ourselves? Or is that doctoring too?