Thanks for the update, Phil! I’ve been riding a bicycle this spring, and it is amazing how many days I have felt well enough to ride the bike. I heard you say in this video that your healing hasn’t been anything “miraculous” because it hasn’t been instantaneous. I just wanted to share my thoughts on my own experience. Recently, I’ve been reflecting on how much of a miracle it is that I am able to receive financial support from the government because I cannot work full time due to my condition. It is a miracle that people in my country fought (hard) so that people like me could take the time we need to heal. It is a miracle that I have a bed to sleep in where I am not bombarded with sensory stimuli, so that my nervous system can recover. It is a miracle that I have had loving, caring people help me during my times of crisis so that my basic needs were met. So much about my healing journey has been miraculous. My iPhone that allows me to watch art videos, my area heater and fan that create background noise and help me regulate the temperature of my space, the shower in my house that provides hot water. If I had been born at any other time in history or in other circumstances, things might have been drastically more difficult for me. My sensitivities to stimuli have been so intense over the past few years that every little thing has made a big difference! It is a miracle that all of these factors aligned in my external environment to allow for my healing. I am just so thankful for all of the blessings. I hope the fact that I shared this perspective helps someone in some way.
Sounds like you are doing great! So important not to be in "Fix it"--that one was a huge realization for me. The brain doesn't think we are ok (fight/flight/freeze) so we must do everything to show the brain that we are ok and if we are trying to fix ourselves, it tells the brain we are not ok! Also, like you it was so important to get off a strict diet and just enjoy a healthy not too restrictive diet. It is so funny that I had IBS symptoms on strict Paleo and with a much less restrictive diet (still generally pretty healthy, very little sugar or coffee) I have zero IBS symptoms. it really just about relaxing into the symptoms, being ok with them, living our lives and knowing they will go as we stop thinking about them. One thing that is great for pain is somatic tracking--have you heard of it? There are guided youtube videos on it (see the Pain PT Jim Prussack). Basically, it is going into the sensations of the pain with a lens of safety and when you do that and make friends with it instead of trying to avoid it, wanting it to go away, etc. the pain calms down. My pain issues are not gone but have gone from an 8 to now I have times with no pain and also times where it goes up to a 2 or 3. I am no longer afraid of it (the fear is a huge thing that keeps it going) and it really isn't so bad anymore, now I just think of it as sensations that come and go. I am no longer in a fight with it so it goes down! When I am enjoying myself and distracted it is not there! Going into the body and being ok with all the sensations has been huge for me! I wish you the best! You seem you are on a very good trajectory!
l really like your honest updates, Phil, and your podcast! lt is funny, you have done so many different programs and things, exactly like me. Have you ever focused on processing suppressed emotions or maybe past trauma? l think this is my final path to recovery. l encourage you do dive into TMS. And Primal Trust must be a very good program. Maybe you learn how to process emotions there. Greetings from Germany, Martina
your channel has literally been the message I have been needing to hear for four years of this health journey. Have you heard of Automatic Writing ? It is helping me soooo much to rewire. It's a little more woo-woo but it's way easier for me to feel successful at it than the brain retraining (I dabble in the DNRS system)
Since you quit your work now iquit my work 1 year ago but im not improving atall i still housebound pacing doest help me i do dnrs . What you do in a day i just want to know cos your symptoms and your personality really resonate me.
Do you feel like you might be overdoing it with the exercise? Mentioning this because you look considerably more tired than you have in your previous videos. That's something I noticed happening to me whenever I tried to reincorporate significant physical exertion. I've been focusing on just walking and not pushing beyond that. My plan is to continue that way until I feel like I've been in a sustained recovery for at least 2-3 months. Not sure if any of that applies to you, but could be worth thinking about/testing.
Sounds like someone in your past put a lot of pressure on you -- or you felt pressure -- to be 'perfect', to never make mistakes, to be the good kid -- or else you wouldn't be noticed, appreciated or LOVED. Perfectionism ALONE, is a stressor -- it's one of those that Sarno talks about -- precisely because it keeps you in a state of fight/flight/FREEZE. I bet you feel pressure -- that you're putting on yourself -- to be 100% well, or else you'll be criticized for running this channel? All of that is normal, and it's something your brain is doing to PROTECT YOURSELF. Show those fears and feelings and pressure some LOVE Phil, and thank them for trying to protect you. But at the same time, gradually let them go and tell yourself you'll be okay. The pain will fade...
Thanks for the update.
Thanks for the update, Phil! I’ve been riding a bicycle this spring, and it is amazing how many days I have felt well enough to ride the bike.
I heard you say in this video that your healing hasn’t been anything “miraculous” because it hasn’t been instantaneous. I just wanted to share my thoughts on my own experience. Recently, I’ve been reflecting on how much of a miracle it is that I am able to receive financial support from the government because I cannot work full time due to my condition. It is a miracle that people in my country fought (hard) so that people like me could take the time we need to heal. It is a miracle that I have a bed to sleep in where I am not bombarded with sensory stimuli, so that my nervous system can recover. It is a miracle that I have had loving, caring people help me during my times of crisis so that my basic needs were met. So much about my healing journey has been miraculous. My iPhone that allows me to watch art videos, my area heater and fan that create background noise and help me regulate the temperature of my space, the shower in my house that provides hot water. If I had been born at any other time in history or in other circumstances, things might have been drastically more difficult for me. My sensitivities to stimuli have been so intense over the past few years that every little thing has made a big difference! It is a miracle that all of these factors aligned in my external environment to allow for my healing. I am just so thankful for all of the blessings. I hope the fact that I shared this perspective helps someone in some way.
Sounds like you are doing great! So important not to be in "Fix it"--that one was a huge realization for me. The brain doesn't think we are ok (fight/flight/freeze) so we must do everything to show the brain that we are ok and if we are trying to fix ourselves, it tells the brain we are not ok! Also, like you it was so important to get off a strict diet and just enjoy a healthy not too restrictive diet. It is so funny that I had IBS symptoms on strict Paleo and with a much less restrictive diet (still generally pretty healthy, very little sugar or coffee) I have zero IBS symptoms. it really just about relaxing into the symptoms, being ok with them, living our lives and knowing they will go as we stop thinking about them. One thing that is great for pain is somatic tracking--have you heard of it? There are guided youtube videos on it (see the Pain PT Jim Prussack). Basically, it is going into the sensations of the pain with a lens of safety and when you do that and make friends with it instead of trying to avoid it, wanting it to go away, etc. the pain calms down. My pain issues are not gone but have gone from an 8 to now I have times with no pain and also times where it goes up to a 2 or 3. I am no longer afraid of it (the fear is a huge thing that keeps it going) and it really isn't so bad anymore, now I just think of it as sensations that come and go. I am no longer in a fight with it so it goes down! When I am enjoying myself and distracted it is not there! Going into the body and being ok with all the sensations has been huge for me! I wish you the best! You seem you are on a very good trajectory!
l really like your honest updates, Phil, and your podcast! lt is funny, you have done so many different programs and things, exactly like me. Have you ever focused on processing suppressed emotions or maybe past trauma? l think this is my final path to recovery. l encourage you do dive into TMS. And Primal Trust must be a very good program. Maybe you learn how to process emotions there. Greetings from Germany, Martina
your channel has literally been the message I have been needing to hear for four years of this health journey. Have you heard of Automatic Writing ? It is helping me soooo much to rewire. It's a little more woo-woo but it's way easier for me to feel successful at it than the brain retraining (I dabble in the DNRS system)
Thanks for sharing 🙂
U are doing great and an inspiration
Since you quit your work now iquit my work 1 year ago but im not improving atall i still housebound pacing doest help me i do dnrs . What you do in a day i just want to know cos your symptoms and your personality really resonate me.
Do you feel like you might be overdoing it with the exercise? Mentioning this because you look considerably more tired than you have in your previous videos. That's something I noticed happening to me whenever I tried to reincorporate significant physical exertion. I've been focusing on just walking and not pushing beyond that. My plan is to continue that way until I feel like I've been in a sustained recovery for at least 2-3 months. Not sure if any of that applies to you, but could be worth thinking about/testing.
Sounds like someone in your past put a lot of pressure on you -- or you felt pressure -- to be 'perfect', to never make mistakes, to be the good kid -- or else you wouldn't be noticed, appreciated or LOVED. Perfectionism ALONE, is a stressor -- it's one of those that Sarno talks about -- precisely because it keeps you in a state of fight/flight/FREEZE. I bet you feel pressure -- that you're putting on yourself -- to be 100% well, or else you'll be criticized for running this channel? All of that is normal, and it's something your brain is doing to PROTECT YOURSELF. Show those fears and feelings and pressure some LOVE Phil, and thank them for trying to protect you. But at the same time, gradually let them go and tell yourself you'll be okay. The pain will fade...
Good stuff bro. Stay focused 👊 enjoy wearing thongs in bali 😂