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Anger
Our polite society views anger as an unacceptable emotion. One CRPS patient kept reassuring me that he was not an angry person – until he started sharing stories about getting angry, without even realizing that he was, in fact, very angry! I could sense his anger as he described his experiences, but he was unaware…
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Solitude to Certitude
Figure in the fog. Darkness and shadows surround. Thoughts of solitude. I wrote this haiku at the age of 12, during my crucible of the atavistically brutal hellscape, most commonly known as middle school. In 1980, bullying as a term, was not in the societal parlance, nor did it occur to me to seek…
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Humor Is A Painkiller!
“I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful.” – Bob Hope Well, CRPS, like every chronic pain, is not a laughing matter. When relentless pain drains all of your reserves of strength and patience, it is very hard to joke around. However, I suggest…
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Catastrophic Thinking
Recently, I came across this interesting article that is not CRPS-specific, but still very relevant. “Catastrophic Thinking (aka catastrophizing) refers to a cognitive distortion where a person exaggerates the potential negative consequences of a situation or event, believing that the worst possible outcome will occur”. It is closely related to anxiety. Guess what, turns out that…
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Holiday Woes?
A couple of chronic pain sufferers who I know reported elevated pain levels and other symptoms during the holiday season. It seems counterintuitive, but for some this festive time of the year brings about more stress and anxiety. Does anybody else have the same problem? Even such a pleasureful activity as gift-giving can increase your…
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Cultural Contagion
“One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them.” Alduous Huxley Since the dawn of time and across all cultures, the established social agreement and common knowledge was that the mind profoundly impacts the body. The interplay between society and individuals, however, adds another layer to the picture. The way we perceive our…
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CRPS: Symptoms Physical And Non-Physical
A reader reached out to me recently with a question. She has a long history of symptoms. Dystonia started 10 years ago, CRPS at least 5 years ago, with a wide variety of symptoms, including pain, that could be associated with CRPS. Before she discovered Dr. Sarno and the mindbody approach about 2 years ago,…
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Fear And Stubborn 100%
Recently, a reader reached out to me with a question. A truly heroic woman, she pulled herself out of a debilitating case of CRPS after a severe car accident and, after 3 years of hard work was able to get to about 80% improvement. But then she stopped getting better and even started getting worse.We…
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Where Do I Start?
We frequently get messages from our readers, and almost all of them begin with this: I just discovered your site, and I am so relieved that there is hope for me, but I don’t know where to start. Should I find a therapist, or take a course, or go through training? Please, help! Each time…
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