If my smoke detector could differentiate between fire, carbon monoxide and burnt toast, I would never have to worry! Unfortunately I seem to have a talent for burning things in the kitchen! Our brains are no different. The brain cannot discern what is a real threat or danger, from a perceived one. When we experience pain sensations and altered physiology (swelling, redness, temperature changes etc.), they are actually the burnt toast in the story of how our brain responds to messages of danger. What is the messaging you are giving to your brain on a daily basis? On a minute to minute basis? What messages have you received from the medical or alternative industries? If you have the label of CRPS, then it’s guaranteed they were all communicating danger, doubt, fear, and hopelessness.
Ask yourself if you have engaged in these thought habits or behaviors:
1.) Panicking when symptoms arise or worsen.
2.) Researching online about it’s “incurability”.
3.) Reading in toxic “support group” forums filled with horror stories and doom and gloom.
4.) Believing the dire prognosis given to you by medical “experts”.
5.) Chasing “treatments” or “therapies”.
6.) Generating chronic, ruminating thoughts about how your body is “broken”, “flawed”, or “weak” in some way.
7.) Avoiding so called “triggers”….activities or movements or other innocuous stimuli that your brain has deemed dangerous and linked to your symptoms.
8.) “Guarding” areas of the body that are affected for fear that you will hurt yourself.
Do any of these ring a bell? If so, what is the antidote? We combat the messages of danger, by replacing them with messages of safety. Our job is to teach the primitive part of the brain (‘our stupid friend”) that is bombarding us with false alarms, that we are totally ok and safe in the present moment. Some ways of cultivating safety are:
1.) Using knowledge and logic to shine a light on this label. It makes no sense from any medical or scientific standpoint that the body would renew a subscription to acute pain on a moment to moment basis, in the absence of any pathology or structural damage. For evidence, refer to the PPDA association’s list of peer reviewed research studies on chronic pain. The science and truth are indisputable!!
2.) Do an assessment of your symptoms. Review if they fit the criteria for mind body syndrome (for ex.: symptoms change location, mirror image, pain and symptoms “spread”, symptoms are triggered by harmless stimuli, pain varies, your personality profile, and any history of trauma.) Even if you have one of these that fits the criteria, that is enough to prove it’s TMS!
3.) Feel your emotions rather than resisting them. Teach your brain that emotions are safe and normal.
4.) Calm your thinking down by catching yourself when you are catastrophizing or pessimistic. Become aware of those thoughts and nip them in the bud. Just because you think something does not make it true!!
5.) Respond to symptoms with curiosity and detachment, rather than terror or frustration. They may “hurt”, but they cannot “harm”…they are as harmless as burnt toast.
6.) Practice gratitude (even if it’s just for finding this site and knowing you will get better!)
7.) Focus on your life as much as you are able to. Even if you are totally debilitated right now, see if you can find enjoyable and relaxing things to do….even if they are small, things like organizing your sock drawer or watching stupid cat videos on YT. This will train your brain out of danger mode.
8.) Believe that you can get better and reclaim your life. Choose to believe you can, and you deserve it as well!
So, rather than smashing your smoke detector with a hammer after burning some toast , simply take the batteries out!!
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