The Challenge Of Fear

Hello all,

I have a question regarding fear.

So having fully accepted that TMS is responsible for my myriad of symptoms, I still really fear them and what could come next. I'm now just afraid of the beast that is TMS and the consequences it's symptoms could have, rather than any structural damage.

How do I approach breaking down this loop of fear and anxiety? It's almost as if my mind has found a way to circumvent the 'It's just TMS, only psychological, there's nothing structurally wrong' approach. The problem is that the mind will always come up with new scary evidence that you're going to suffer, all I have this is this measly piece of evidence to offer back. You cannot win.

I'm actively doing all the things that my mind is fearful of - I had chronic pain in my wrists and arms, I now go to the gym, I've noticed that I TMS about losing my voice and my vocal chords get tight, yet I still sing every day. I get anxiety symptoms and self soothe during these processes, feel it in my chest and breathe deep, use the Claire Weekes methods - yet it all persists. My symptoms just fly all over the place.

Any idea where I could be going wrong?

All the best and thank you for all your support,

Viridian x

 

I can absolutely relate. It’s been 7 years of chronic back pain with no continual relief despite accepting the condition, doing the reading, journaling, minimizing stress in my life etc.....

In my experience the only time physical symptoms dissipate is when my AFFLICTIVE EMOTIONS threaten my safety as much as physical pain seems to do. Have you ever been so anxious that you felt something bad was gojng to happen right away? Like your body could start self-destructing at any moment? I think that’s the feeing the pain is protecting you from.

Also I’ve found emotions like fear start to become an addiction, like you’re so accustomed to feeing them that they are their own self-fulfilled prophecy. Usually the fear of something happening is much more painful than actually experiencing whatever it is we fear.

 

I think the fear is just another manifestation of TMS and will go away with time too. I too remember worrying a lot - what if my pain returns? Now what do I do since I know now it is not structural but caused by my own brain? If I can't make it go away, then who will? But it never returned. Those fears never materialized. And so with time I became more relaxed and learned to recognize the fear as a symptom itself that has no bearing on reality (just because you are worried you have something or might get something does not mean you do). It also helped to remember that you can nocebo yourself - if you worry about a symptom, it may CAUSE it to arise, so I finally accepted that thinking positively and healthy about myself was the most healthy way.

 

Hope you've recovered or are recovering soon.