Update to Mental Symptoms/Intrusive Thoughts

Hello all,

I posted last month about my issues with a sudden barrage of intrusive thoughts and anxiety spikes, I was taken a bit aback since I've never had TMS manifest as 'mental' symptoms before, it's always just been physical pain.

I just want to update in case anyone else has had this problem (now or in the future) that it too is just another diversion tactic by TMS and is entirely beatable. I went from thinking about the same thing that caused me great distress several hundred times a day (it was very exhausting,) and now I've got it down to 2-3 times a day and on occasions where I'm relaxed, I can go several days without remembering it was a problem to begin with at all.

Obviously it's still a work in progress but I'm pretty happy with my results.

I guess I'm just writing this as a record so if anyone else suffers from the same problem they can feel comfort it's not a permanent issue, as all TMS symptoms feel like when you're in the thick of it. My first response now is to search the forums to see if anyone else has any good tips, so I wanted to contribute in hopes that someone else out there finds it useful.

1: This post by Callum Bosua was basically the magic line. If you're still online at all, Callum, I owe you a beer or something. You're a godsend. Recognising and calling out the thoughts for what they were and forcing yourself to watch your body's reaction in a neutral manner robbed it of all power. I saw drastic improvement after one day of doing this.

2: Vent through journalling, even if it's the last thing you want to do at the time. Sometimes I managed to hammer out essays over half hour, sometimes it was a few lines. It all helps. In the days where I couldn't get to my PC to splurge out all my worries I'd find a quiet spot and meditate for a bit instead.

Honestly this episode has shown me just how insidious TMS can be when it feels cornered. I hope that if anyone else develops these strange symptoms, don't be harsh on yourself and think that you've failed, or that you're a bad person for these thoughts. They're distresssing for a reason - it's to distract you.

Hope everyone out there is having a good day, and thanks for reading

 

Thanks Jan! I'm just glad I can come back with positive news!

 

Intrusive thoughts are a Hallmark of OCD. I used to suffer from it until I became aware it 'existed'...It is called 'the disease of doubt'. If you search this forum for 'OCD' you'll find a bunch of threads on the topic. In fact, TMS is 'OCD of the Body' . If you read the threads you'll also see the long one I wrote on 'STOP' therapy that a shrink taught me...it worked awesome. I wish TMS was as compliant.

Intrusive thoughts come from the same source as TMS symptoms.... that is, it is a distracting thought to keep you from the REAL thought/emotion/feeling that your unconscious doesn't want to deal with.

 

It's funny, I've never displayed OCD symptoms in my life before this, so it's sudden arrival was very suspicious.. I feel like I learn more about TMS (and myself) every time I get a relapse. I'll check out your post too!

 

There is a lot of stuff there. BTW, the guy I went and saw for my anger issues got his Phd working on one of the biggest studies of OCD ever... he said there are two types... "Born that way" and "Got that way" but from a clinical and symptomatic perspective they are indistinguishable !!!!

I would say the recent collective insanity around Covid is a great example....even people who were relatively sane and healthy Developed OCD like symptoms... Having been a germ phobe earlier in my life, I was actually relatively calm....sounds crazy, huh?

The intrusive thoughts are the 'pain' of it along with the compulsive cleaning,masking, rituals etc.... but not having all of the text book stuff doesn't mean were immune.... They were all good strategies just for mental health. Much like with TMS therapy, I really don't understand what's going on down there, I just want the torture to stop!!!