Day 8 Progress thus far

I have begun journaling, as instructed by the SEP program and I find it helpful so far. I have started to read SteveO's book which I find very interesting and compelling.

Tomorrow, I will have some fun activity, with a friend. Spending time at the beach and playing chess. Mind you, I have not have a fun activity for myself in the last 4 months ( 2 months Covid-19 lockdown & 2 months bedridden with low back pain and coccyx pain).

I have resumed work, working remotely from my parents home. I take regular breaks and I try really hard to overcome my fear of sitting on a chair. I continue going swimming twice a day, early morning and evening. Later in the day I go for a long walk. I also stopped all physical therapy as of this Friday.

My back pain has gone from 9/10 before finding anything about TMS to about 3/10 but I know at this point that I should not try to quantify the pain and measure it at every moment (outcome independence). Anyway, the lowering of my back pain has been accompanied by an increase of my tailbone pain. Fear has taken hold of me again (that my tailbone injury will never heal), I really try to acknowledge it and not let it perpetuate the cycle of pain.

Anxiety is beginning to lower. The lowering is still pretty slow. I try not to fight with the anxiety any longer, rather defuse it at first, then flow with it until it subsides. Sometimes it works, other times it does not. Guess its a long process to overcome severe anxiety.

 

Sounds like you're doing awesome...

New or "recycled" symptoms are normal. It's natural to feel afraid at first. Just remember that a real structural injury would not come and go. This pain is a symptom substitution...

Yes it can be. This is where outcome independence comes in. It can be very tiring to wait for symptoms to leave. Our brains are stubborn. Ideally, you will get to the point where your symptoms no longer scare you. It sounds like you are on your way.