A lot of my clients tell me that they have been trying to ignore pain and go on about their lives, because that’s what you’re supposed to do if you’ve got Tension Myositis Syndrome (a stress-induced, chronic condition).
At the beginning, I might have thought the same - that ignoring the pain was the main thing to do. But as I reflected on my own recovery and gained further experience with TMS Coaching, I soon realised that that’s not it. It’s not about ignoring the symptoms - it’s about acknowledging them and being comfortable with them!
Symptoms will go away when you stop feeling bothered by them…
A lot of people have recovered successfully say their symptoms eventually disappeared once they stopped caring about them, but the statement is sadly misinterpreted. People think that you need to ignore the symptoms to get better, but in reality ignoring is a form of resistance. It is very difficult to fool your brain and pretend that you’re not really bothered by the pain or symptoms. It’s like ignoring the elephant in the room, especially if pain levels are intense.
So how do you go about it instead? My video below explains a few steps you need to take.
Here are the steps broken down for those who would prefer to read things out:
1) Acknowledging pain
When you get pain or symptoms, it’s pointless to try and push them away. However, we instinctively try to do this. We rub the pain area, we medicate, and as a last resort, we also try to ignore the symptoms. Instead, all you might need to do is invite the pain in. Yes, it is counterintuitive, but the sooner you allow it to be, the better.
2) Observe it
As part of a mindfulness meditation or somatic tracking exercise, you can take some time to observe the symptoms, and get curious about how they feel exactly. I liked to pretend that I was a scientist, who was extremely curious about my symptoms. This allowed me to change my reaction to the pain, from one of fear and resistance, to one of curiosity and intrigue!
3) Get comfortable and let go and resistance
This is the difficult part - you need to get more comfortable with the symptoms, and feel ok despite the pain. In reality, what we fear the most are not the symptoms themselves, but what they might mean to us. Most people fear that the symptoms will get worse, or that they will rob them of their freedom. So by simply observing the symptoms objectively, for what they really are, you can start letting go of all the judgements and worries related to them.
What you are aiming for is to be able to stay with the symptoms, and detach yourself from all other emotions and worries. Once you do that, your threat will get smaller. All you are left with is present pain, and nothing else. And without fear and other negative emotions, pain cannot last for long.
4) Go about your day and laugh at your symptoms
Seriously. Once you’re more comfortable with pain, focus on the things you can do (no need to push yourself and run a marathon yet…). You’ll be surprised how many small enjoyable things are still possible for you. You won’t be able to ignore the symptoms, so once again, acknowledge them, and treat them with a sense of humour. That’s another counterintuitive thing! But what we’re aiming for here is a radical mindset shift.
In the end, it’s always about changing your reactions to the symptoms. Then and only then, will the symptoms start to diminish. For as long as you’re bothered, frustrated or helpless about them, your symptoms will still have a reason to persist.
Ready to take TMS work seriously?
The above is just one of the techniques you can practice to bring about these mindset shifts. Most people do need a more structured approach that addresses the root causes of TMS, as well as all the behaviours and habits that are keeping pain and symptoms alive. It’s for this reason that we’ve created Path to Pain Free, our 25-day DIY Program which we’re selling for just $24.99.
Many people have found relief by just following through with the program, whereas others have combined it with a Coaching Session or two to get more insight into what was keeping them stuck.
If you resonate with what I write on my blog, don’t deny yourself this chance. Check out my offers below and reach out to me with your questions. I adore working with people who put their health first!