I was told to quit running. I just ran a marathon.

My pain started when I was 13 years old. I had chronic pain for eight years after that. When I was 16 I went to an orthopedist who took some MRI scans and told me my discs were degenerative and herniating. He told me I was going to have pain the rest of my life and it would only get worse as I aged. I was devastated and the pain just got worse over the years as he had predicted.

Before the pain took over my life I loved to run. I wanted to grow up and run marathons. The pain made me gave up on my dreams. I thought I was never going to run again. I had a running coach in high school that suggested I look into other sports because of "my condition." Before I found Dr. Sarno's book, I was living a completely sedentary lifestyle, was terrified of all forms of exercise, and was self medicating with alcohol and marijuana daily to manage the pain.

Then I stumbled upon Dr. Sarno's legacy and read "Healing Back Pain." Not only have I lived the last four years completely pain free since reading it, but it lead me down a path that has completely changed my life for the better. I came out as a transgender man a little more than a year after reading Dr. Sarno's book. I had no idea that I had been dealing with gender dysphoria my whole life--no idea that I was genderqueer at all. Dr Sarno taught me how to notice when I was uncomfortable and ask why. Through the journaling practice prescribed by Dr Sarno I one day found myself writing down "I am a man. I am a man." I had no idea that I felt that way. I had this voice screaming in my head since puberty that I had completely silenced with physical pain. Then a year later I got sober. A year after that I started running regularly again. Now I am four years pain free, three years out as a transgender man, two years sober, and a marathon runner.

I see other young healthy people in my life suffering from pain and I want to find some way to help. Dr. Sarno saved my life. Reading Dr. Sarno's "Healing Back Pain" is not going to turn you trans, that was just my journey. It's not likely to be yours. But if you choose to read "Healing Back Pain" you could experience your own journey of recovery that will lead you closer to peace. I thought it was too good to be true and then I got better. Running the marathon was the best day of my life. And I'm already planning the next.

 

What a story! Congratulations! Would you give your permission to repost it on Thank you, Dr. Sarno! website? I will need your first name and optional (only if you want!) photo.

 

Fantastic! Appreciate your story very much. Congratulations!