I spoke with Carolyn Dickman today to share my success in how I was able to use the anxiety program to finally get rid of the often severe chronic pain that I suffered for almost three years, including neck, back and sciatica (was actually hospitalized in January 1998 for this pain), stomach, knee, foot, etc. etc.
I also asked her how to get the word out to others who may be suffering the same way because -- with the epidemic in this country of pain (be it back, stomach, hand, etc. etc.), and with all the new pain disorders such as fibromyalgia being diagnosed everyday, and with all the new pain treatment centers popping up everywhere � I KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE.
My pain was somewhat alleviated by reading John Sarno�s book, �Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection,� but I continued to experience frequent attacks of severe pain and, most importantly, continued to focus on and be afraid of the physical pain.
The Anxiety Center�s infomercial caught my attention because it promised to put an end to �what if� thinking, which I had constantly: what if the pain gets so bad I can�t bear it, what if I go out to dinner and I start hurting, what if I am being punished for something, what if the pain never goes away, etc. For me the cure was relatively simple: I simply applied the principles of what to do during a panic attach to my symptoms. So the very next time stabbing stomach pain woke me up during the night, instead of being run by fear and thinking �Oh no, not again � what is wrong with me � how long do I have to bear this, etc. etc.� I told myself: �There is nothing to be afraid of. This is just a signal that I am feeling anxious about something or that I have been beating myself up about something.� Then I proceeded to review the things going on in my life that I might be bothered by and tried to soothe and comfort myself about them. And, even that first time, the pain started to subside within minutes. And during every waking hour, I began to focus on talking to and treating myself with love and respect. And in focusing on that, I focused less on the pain, became less afraid of the pain, and have been pain-free for over 5 weeks. If I do start to experience any body pain symptoms, I just apply the principles of the program, give myself permission to feel anxious, and �float� with it. AND IT GOES AWAY.
If anyone out there is experiencing this type of situation, I will be more than happy to support you.
Thanks for �listening� to my story. I couldn�t go one day longer without offering some hope to somebody else out there in the same boat.
Hi LaVerne, I was surprised to see your listing, as i haven't come across anything on chronic pain. I myself am working this program for panic attacks. The man i've been seeing for 3 yrs. has been suffering 24 hrs. a day for 12 years with chronic pain...his entire back, neck, leg. He was in an accident 12 yrs. ago....thrown 60 ft. off his bicycle. The thing is, for some reason he never healed. No mainstream doctor has ever been able to tell what has actually happened to him. When i suggest all sorts of alternative ways to help himself, that involve the mind, emotions, etc.... he thinks i'm telling him that it's psychological and this, i well understand, can feel like an insult. He WAS in an accident and that was the initial cause. I believe a mind-set, an inability to express emotions and a myriad of other things can keep pain alive. He is taking very,very strong pain killers, the most powerful ones that exist actually and they are SO bad for you. He cannot imagine that he himself might be keeping this pain from healing. I'm wondering if you think that this program could apply to someone who got into this severe condition due to an accident. It is heartbreaking watching him trying to be as cheerful as possible and getting along as well as he can, when he is in constant pain. Do you know the origin of the pain you were having? If you think you have anything at all in the way of input here, it would be so much appreciated. Thank you sincerely, Linda in Toronto
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