Can music prevent TMS?

I used to love listening to music for years. It was the backdrop of my life for most of my life. I would listen to songs while I worked, played, exercised, drove or just while lying around. I liked music that went with my emotions—sadness, anger, fear—even happiness.( I especially liked it for anger.Never could understand why I had this weird uncharacteristic penchant for heavy metal sometimes?!)

Then, for some reason I stopped listening. Part of the reason was I had become a workaholic. I had no musing time. No time for dreamy contemplation. I was all no-nonsense. Coincidentally, around that time, my TMS kicked in.

In efforts to self-soothe more recently, (and as advised by Claire Weekes, the anxiety doctor), I again started listening to music. At first it felt alien and decadent. I struggled to find something I liked. I felt too restless and anxious to listen. It was forced. Then I calmed down. I found some music that moved me and I started listening to it more and more. That was about a month ago. Now I wake up in the morning and first thing turn on music. My outlook has changed a lot! I’m feeling better.

Today I found this interesting passage while reading Defying the Verdict, by Tamara Gurin (@TG957 ). She has an amazing recovery journey she shares. She’s also a big influence on this forum. (Thanks, Tamara!)

She says:

“Something that I noticed as a sign of frozen emotions was my response to music. Devoid of any abilities to make music, I enjoy listening very much. Or, to be precise, I enjoyed listening to music very much until my emotions froze completely a couple of years before CRPS hit. Slowly, I migrated from enjoying music to crossing out items on my cultural to-do list. I would listen to the music and imagine how I should be feeling at this time. I could not understand why music was not as emotionally intense or rewarding to me anymore – until I realized that I had emptied out my emotional reserves.”

Thoughts, anyone? Have you noticed the same?

 

Well, I guess anyone who's been to a punk rock concert before will agree that's tremendous to stress release hahaha

I have a hard time releasing sadness and crying. I feel it stuck there wanting to get out but asking for a rain check, so sometimes I would put some sad songs to help me connect with the emotion. But when I'm driving and am frustrated with TMS, I usually turn the music off because, I don't know, it feels pointless... so I pretty much agree with her

 

See?! This is a thing! We have to go back the way we came. Defy TMS and turn the music back on. It’s not pointless. It’s part of the cure.

 

Great post! To me music has the effect of relaxing, soothing, taking me out of my mind and ----importantly---- into feeling. If I can feel more, I am less prone to TMS. Plus it is fun. I recommend to folks as part of daily "pleasure" regimen along with movement, connecting to friends, self touch, sensations with water, moments in nature, etc.

Andy

 

I love listening to music. Punk, metal, Taylor Swift, 80s, 70s… I love to sing even though I’m not very good & dance too of course! I think listening to music is a great way to show safety to your brain.

A few years ago I’d stop listening to music if I was having severe anxiety (TMSing) and I convinced myself that nothing good was going on so it didn’t feel worth it or like I was in a good enough mental state to listen to my favorite songs. What a silly rule my brain created because that’s probably one thing I needed to get out of a mental rut... luckily we’re past that!

 

Wow, this is so interesting! It’s like our TMS brains know music could save us. Or, we just get so sad and anxious —or depleted—to enjoy it anymore. Yes, luckily we’re past that! I noticed that listening to music and watching standup comedy on YouTube and laughing my head off has really brought my anxiety level down. Safety for the brain!

 

Yes!
About a year ago, my friends played a show including a lot of songs they knew meant a lot to me. I was crying like a baby! Gene Clark sings will get me every time!

 

These days I feel like I can only listen to slow classical music or slows, soothing music devoid of any lyrics. Music that I previously enjoyed (when I had a well regulated nervous system) eg rock, hip-hop, electronica makes me feel irritated.

I also struggle with my emotions due to years of self supression (emotions are bad! belief) and toxic positivity (parents advice for me was always to just stay positive and keep pushing). Eventually this led to extreme anxiety and TMS.

Now if I have any emotions its usually anger. Otherwise I feel pretty emotionally numb. I wonder when I will get my full emotions back.

 

I’m the same! Spa music is especially nice. Lately I’ve been able to add some country gospel music, which is very soothing to me spiritually but only gentle country gospel music ha ha. if you have any music related to your spirituality, I think that can be very powerful. chanting all sorts of things

Claire Weekes, MD, in her book, Hope and Help for Your Nerves, says extreme prolonged anxiety causes emotional depletion, and as you heal your nervous system, your emotions will come back. I highly highly highly highly recommend this book. It’s really essential for anyone with TMS. It’s short it’s easy to read. It will be phenomenally enlightening. I’m reading it on repeat I think I’m on my fourth or fifth time reading it and each time I get more out of it