Day 1 Giving it a go

I have heard of Dr. Sarno in the past, but had never committed to applying his theories to my own struggles. It has been many years, and I have fallen so deeply into the mindbody trap that I am desperate for freedom and I am committed to making this work for me.

My back pain began over 10 years ago, and I have more recently in the last 4-5 years developed a debilitating fatigue to accompany it, as well as intermittent insomnia. I've been through countless attempts to seek answers to my unexplained fatigue, ranging from sleep-study tests, cortisol stimulation tests, and sleeping pills to herbal supplements and counseling - all of which never provided answers or the quick fix I was hoping for. Not to mention the struggles with back pain - multiple bulging discs, spondylolysis with imaging reports to prove it, which further convinced me that I was defective. PT, chiropractic, drugs, etc etc.. This all became my primary focus, and everything else took second place, including my relationships. Needless to say, my personal struggles and stress increased and I became caught in a catch 22. The worse my fatigue, insomnia and back pain became, the worse other stressors in my life became, and vice versa. It's been a cyclical nightmare.

Today is Day 1 for me. I am willing to accept this diagnosis of TMS, as Dr. Sarno has a very convincing argument, and the success of so many others is motivating. I can't say I am completely "doubt free" but I believe there is so much truth to these theories. I definitely fit the bill in terms of the type of person who is prone to developing TMS. I have a perfectionist mindset, and feel a constant pressure for everything to appear well and good, even if I am dying inside. Anxiety and depression have lingered in my mind my entire life, along with social anxiety, and constant fear. I am a highly sensitive person, and people view me as "quiet and reserved." Everything makes sense in terms of how I fell into this trap and I am ready to break free. So, here I am willing to give this a try! Freedom is in my future!!