Retrain pain

I came across this link which has 8 short lessons in a slideshow format that I think will help many ppl with pain arising from TMS.

Its simple & pretty effective & is a another great tool which I hope members can use to their benefit.

There r many good ideas & techniques on how to change the way we think abt our pain & also some great examples.


http://www.retrainpain.org/courseindex (Course Index)

Mala

 

This is very good. It doesn't mention repressed emotions at all or Freudian psychology, which may be helpful to those who have a hard time with that particular model of the cause of TMS.

Thanks, Mala!

 

Thank you! I found these very helpful.

 

@Ellen, me too. I like the way the connection between the brain & pain has been explained in a way which is more scientific & easy to understand. For many just understanding why they hurt & that the pain they feel is not dangerous can help a lot to change they way they perceive pain.

This is crucial in the first step towards any kind of healing.

Mala

 

You r welcome @readytoheal. U can access a bit more if u sign up.

Mala

 

Very good thanks! This is a great starting point for modern people who will recoil from anything smacking of psychosomatic. Of course it is just a basic description of just that!

 

You got it in one @ladyofthelake. The idea that not all pain is dangerous, understanding the relationship between pain & the brain & realising that there r ways u can change the pain is a great springboard for many ppl who would otherwise shirk from the sudden 'it's all in yr mind' approach. It's like allowing them to see the connection for themselves & then allowing the mind to be more open to the ideas of TMS.

 

I never thought my pain was dangerous it just HURTS!!! and I've never thought I should be careful or move less because my pain is so much worse while I'm sitting. Even Sarnos books threw me off because of all the talk about "being careful" and "avoiding activity." As I get older I do know more and more people with that belief... My learning moment was when I learned that others also feel more pain when they are sitting and that I just associate the pain with sitting and sitting itself doesn't rationally cause that much pain. Ugh, my conscious self knows but not the rest of my brain. Anyway, that's not related to this thread.

 

I never talk about TMS with others because of the angry reactions. im not interested in arguing with others when they are dead set on believing something like a hairline fracture of a hip years and years ago is continuing to cause horrible hip pain. I'm very conflict avoidant and figure they have their own journey and discovery. I'm hardly an inspiration as I'm still in pain.

 

How can you get in the psychological ballpark unless you embrace Freud and the unconscious? Given the General Discussion Subforum is in honor of Dr. John Sarno, his diagnosis is based solely on unconscious emotional phenomena that causes physiologic changes that can be the most painful in clinical medicine while ironically be completely harmless.

It is almost stunning the inaccuracy of comments regarding what Dr. Sarno says in his books. It is easy to get the book in your hands, read the words, and restate them accurately. Verbatim if you must.

Dr. Sarno never said to be careful or avoid activity.

'Healling Back Pain', page 97, in Daily Reminders, "Since my back is basically normal, there is nothing to fear." "Therefore physical activity is not dangerous." "And I must resume all normal physical activity." "I will not be concerned or intimidated by the pain." "I will shift my attention from the pain to emotional issues."

This game in this ballpark is 100% mental. It is hard to ignore physical pain which is in the body, induced by the mind. It is the only way to get rid of the pain, ignore it. Use the engine of your mind to observe this covert operation and create ideas of where you want to go with your emotions, personality, and accepting responsibility for emotional reactions to all situations in life.

 

This is excellent Mala, thanks for sharing. I've signed up... A picture paints a thousand words!

 

@ladyofthelake I'm v sorry to hear that u r still in pain.

I never talk to ppl about tms until I see they r ready for something new. It's hard to bite my tongue & see ppl suffer but if they r not ready they just won't listen.

I have a friend who had been suffering awful awful pelvic pain for the last 3 years. She was so bad that she hadn't sat in 2 yrs & could not lie on her back. So she would either stand or lie on her belly & prop herself up when talking to ppl. Going out we would always find high tables so she could stand & not be conspicuous. She would lie in the back seat of the car or taxi to get around.

Everytime she saw a new dr or therapist she would be so positive that this time it would work & I would see her follow a new regime for a while only to discover that it didn't work.

She was on lyrica, neurontin & others meds. She had seen western drs, traditional Chinese medicine practioners, physios u name it.

One day abt 6 months ago I sensed she was ready or maybe desperate enuff to hear
something new & then I told her about tms briefly & gave her The divided mind & the GPD.

Within 2 weeks she was sitting ( not without pain). She finished the books & was journaling everyday. A month later she was a different person.

I'm not saying everyone will have such dramatic relief but by Golly she was ready to hear abt Tms.

 

Good for your friend, Mala!

We need to be fearless and spread the good news of medicine that our health care professionals are either ignorant of mindbody medicine, fearful of breaking free from the structural model of the body, or greedy and want to continue the bullshit of the laboratory, the MRI, and what is covered by insurance and disability.

Put it out there. Mindbody has the advantage of being true. The more people who hear about this information, the quicker momentum and a deep sigh of relief will wash over our Nation.

Of course tens of thousands will lose their jobs. They need to lose their jobs because just like Dr. David Schechter peddling BACK2Life as solution to back pain, they are the problem, not the solution.

What matters is alleviating suffering of people, by telling people the truth.