Day 8 My Progress

It's hard to say how much I'm progressing overall because my symptoms come and go and they've been like that for a while.

I did seem to crash over the past few days. I think it's because there were a lot of changes going on in my life, people moving and whatnot. Whenever there's some big change like that, my body seems to go into anxiety mode as if I'm confused and don't know what to do with the change. I wonder why I can't just smoothly get through life changes. Is that at all related to the sorts of problems people typically have with TMS?

For me it seems to directly relate to not knowing what do with my life at this point. Almost like the sort of depression people have when they complete a major project in their life and feel lost. I feel like, if there was a consistent structure to me life, then I wouldn't have TMS.

 

camera... TMSers tend to overthink, overstress, we try to be perfect. We are overly aware of other people's needs and reactions. We are overly concerned about doing things perfectly... and so on. All of this gets aggravated during any kind of life change. So yes, I'm pretty sure that just about everyone here would say that this is exactly the sort of problem we all have!! I know it's true of me.

I don't think having a consistent structure to your life would make any difference in the TMS, although it might mask your symptoms for a little while. The cause is internal to us. We really have to look inwardly at the stressors and emotional pain we're putting ourselves through. And we tend to have kind of wacky mental habits of focusing compulsively on pain, or on problems, which just makes it all feel worse.

Long story short you are SO not alone in this.

Just keep following the SEP, keep journaling and reading and educating yourself. Symptoms will get better and worse and better and worse. Right now I'm in a "worse" phase, and blech. I know the key is to just stay mindful, relax, be kind to myself, keep moving, and try to cheer up.

As you go along you'll begin to see so much about where it's all coming from that you'll stop focusing on the body, or on circumstances, and your mind will settle down, become more clear.

Wishing you all the best...

 

I am 1 1/2 years out of the program. I have to work at it all the time to manage my numerous symptoms. Lately I started playing Pickle Ball. I am absolutely over the moon for this sport. I played Monday. I started feeling a excrutiating pain in my right hip. Several times I thought I would fall down. I kept playing while limping around the court talking to my mind to STOp the pain. I did not want to give in to it. It was very very painful.

I had not journaled fr about a week, too busy, too tired, got lazy. So I had to get back in touch with my unconscious mind...not easy. I had to dig and dig to try to figure out all the thoughts lurking in my head. I journaled out all the obvious one of feeling anger toward my husband, family members, situations then finally I remembered a reminder on my calendar to followup on a tax return problem. It had been floating in my head the worry, fear, anger, guilt, more anger and more anger.

My hip is better. It is still sqwaking at me. I will not stop the Pickle Ball. I just have to work the program: journal, meditate, exercise, talk to my mind.

You both can do this too.

 

This is so true. Now that I'm feeling better I can see how much I was worrying and overthinking over the past few days. Gah! My mind is so much more relaxed now. I often forget that things will get better and worse and better and worse. When things get bad I get let down, and I have to remind myself that that's just going to happen.

 

Wow, that's the sort of thing that happens to me too. There's something, some problem in the back of my mind that needs to get done, but I get too preoccupied with other things. Or sometimes it's multiple things that pile up. It's funny how that happens. It seems I also get worse if I haven't had a good conversation with anyone in the while. But that's not something I think about getting done. Somehow it builds some negative emotions inside me.
Good luck with your progress.