trying to get started with TMS

Hello. I've been aware of TMS and trying to incorporate it into my life for about a year now, but am having trouble making any gains from it. I read Dr. Sarno's Mindbody Prescription and was hoping like some people my pain would go away just from reading it (which it didn't). By doctors, I've been diagnosed with vulvodynia/pudendal neuralgia/sciatica/pelvic pain/pelvic floor dysfunction/vaginismus/blah blah blah.

I'm still in a ways struggling with accepting the TMS diagnosis for the following reasons:
1.) I have suffered with anxiety and depression my entire life, and only started experiencing really bad pain (pelvic pain/vulvodynia/sciatica) in the last 4 years. I experience other TMS-like symptoms prior (e.g. heartburn, insomnia, etc.) but nothing pain-related until 2008. In this sense, I feel like then I've always thought "psychologically" (if I'm suffering from anxiety and depression) so am having trouble accepting that TMS could be my issue. I am also aware of many of my issues from childhood, family dysfunctions, relationship problems, you name it (have been in therapy a year and am very introspective)... but still experience pain.
2.) I'm not afraid of exercise until I started getting really bad pain from it. My pain is somewhat tolerable so I go forward with excercise/yoga anyway, and experience horrible pelvic and bladder pain after every time. I'm having trouble accepting TMS is the problem if exercise always exacerbates my pain. Shouldn't using exercise be a way of "facing the pain" and not being scared of it?

Any feedback or insight from others would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

Hi Melissa and welcome to the TMS wiki and forum.

I'm sorry to hear of your ongoing struggle, but if you DO believe that you have TMS (and we have to ask ourselves - what human being doesn't, to some degree?) you've come to the right place for support and success stories.

You posted in the Structured Educational Program (SEP) forum, which leads me to ask - have you started doing the SEP on the wiki? And what other TMS resources have you accessed besides reading MBP?

The SEP is a great resource, because it will introduce you to a wide world of TMS and related Mind/Body theory. The SEP incorporates journaling and introspection techniques that are recommended by TMS practitioners. Posting here on the forum, or just reading other posts, is another way to find out about all of the different authors, practitioners, and practices which have helped many members.

A few things that came to my mind when reading your post:

1. Dr. Sarno and many other practitioners believe that depression and anxiety are themselves TMS symptoms, which makes sense if they are the result of deeply suppressed emotions.

2. You would be amazed at the number of people who report that they were in traditional therapy for much longer than yourself, and found no relief until they embraced TMS theory. The challenge for many people is finding a therapist who embraces TMS or at least recognizes the incredible power of the mind-body syndrome.

3. Discovering the rage of the inner child is important. So is an understanding of how your individual, unique psyche developed coping techniques, years and years ago, to keep those unacceptable emotions repressed.

In addition to doing the SEP (it's free, and it can't hurt) I recommend reading forum discussions here that include posts by some of the following contributors (click on Search, upper right, and enter a name into the box titled "Posted by Member"):
Alan Gordon
Peter Zafirides
Derek Sapico
Steve Ozanich

And I've probably left some out, but these are the ones I've read most recently.

We're here to help and support you, Melissa, so welcome again, keep posting, and let us know how you're doing.

Jan