Day 1 Half way there and starting the SEP.

After 6 year struggle with TMS, I discovered and started learning about TMS therapy late last year. I feel I am about 50% recovered judging by the frequency and intensity of my wide range of symptoms including panic attacks, anxiety, chronic tension headaches, blurry vision, light and noise sensitivity, sleep issues, etc. My full story and healing journey can be found here if you're interested.

I would say that I'm about 90% onboard with the TMS diagnosis. There is 10% doubt because I feel like my symptoms are less pain-related but more like my nervous system is highly sensitive to any form of stress. For instance I would start to feel overwhelmed during a situation such as driving or socializing, my neck would get tight, followed by tension headaches, sweating, facial numbness and blurry vision.

I also struggle to understsand the difference between emotions and symptoms. After years of emotional supression and numbness, I'm not sure what my emotions are supposed to feel like. My symptoms feel almost feels like a mild panic attack, but my heart beat is fine and I can continue to somewhat function. Are these symptoms of TMS? If so, what is the underlying emotion that my body is distracting me from? Or is this simply the emotion of anxiety? Some programs such as Alan's pain program and Claire weekes teaches somatic tracking and focusing my awareness on the symptoms and allowing them to be present without judgement. Others including Dr. Sarno seem to suggest dismissing the symptoms as psychological/TMS and moving on with the task at hand. Sometimes I wonder which method I should be applying.

These are just some of the questions lingering in my head now, and I hope to find the answer as I work through the structured educational program.