Pause don't stop.

[@Unforced-LC]

I really appreciate your work. I do see ME/CFS, fatigue and Long Covid as mind body syndrome. But I doubt that „pushing through“ will always yield the answer. I‘m all in for graded exposure and reassuring safety messages for the brain & nervous system, etc. But pushing through very intense symptoms can cause a massive danger signal in the brain - regardless of whether our prefrontal cortex knows that we’re safe or not. When in high stress, the limbic brain does not respond to logic. So take it slow guys, FEEL (not think) safety, incorporate somatic practices to get your body on board with this. This cannot all be solved top-down, we have to integrate bottom-up as well!

[@SusieV59]

I agree

[@lauraosborne7395]

You have to live life, then recovery happens as a consequence

[@thepainpt]

You got it

[@jacklawrence1580]

100%

[@joannwhite9037]

This video is everything! It’s THE ONE message I go back to during a flare and listen to again and again. Our job is to implement, implement and implement it. I also listen to “Being ok with what you think is not ok”… these are powerful messsge in teaching/ showing the brain that were not broken. Easy to understand… challenging to implement but the KEY to recover lies here. Thank you very much.

[@shaunnarochelle]

sometimes pausing rather than stopping is moving from my bed to my outdoor recliner when everything in me wants to go back to bed. eventually I can get out of the recliner too ❤

[@aliv83]

Jim, you just have this soothing way about you. You are really helping me heal. You are a gift to humanity. 🥰

[@thepainpt]

Thanks! YOU are doing it I’m just a guide.

[@marly1869]

Thank you for this message.. it clicked for me for those moments that I have stopped and gone back 1-2-3 steps 🥺 I kept getting frustrated for years.. been working on this more lately and this truly resonates.. thank you so much Jim..🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@paulwangler]

You're the best. So grateful for you. You're getting this 33 year Olds life back

[@thepainpt]

You’re welcome!!! Keep on keeping on!!

[@kronikproblemler8390]

Hi, I have been following you for a long time and I find your work incredibly valuable and as someone with a chronic problem, I watched your videos a lot. I also read Sarno's books, we all agree that basically the problem is psychological and this causes damage to the neural pathways, you try to fix this pain mechanism, but after a while the pa tient focuses so much on the pain that he forgets that the problem is basically psychological and tries to end the pain it starts to fail because it goes to war, and it falls into the same cycle. Once again, I would like to thank you on behalf of all humanity for doing a very valuable job.

[@thepainpt]

Thanks you!!

[@HobzyMcRuse]

There's no damage to your neural pathways, you just have to teach it new ones :)

[@seffie4363]

brilliant video and timely as always! thanks Jim 👍

[@HobzyMcRuse]

Absolute gold once again! Just what I need to hear right now with this fibro flare up. It's so easy to give in to our scared limbic brains.

[@scottyg5403]

Totally agree! But sometimes easier said than done! You mentioned in another video that at times you need to get angry and refuse to let the pain control your life! That works for me!

[@thepainpt]

yes you can do both!! Sometimes you got to toughen up sometimes take a quick pause, and then move forward after recollecting yourself

[@AAMTV]

Totally agree. I was going to stop doing weight training this week until I saw this vid come up and then realised when I mentally push through the pain it eventually subsides and then disappears. I realise now I kinda pause. Thanks!

[@pedrom8831]

It's impossible to move forward when our symptoms are destroying our sleep. I often sleep 2 - 3 hours each night. My whole body buzzes, and my left hip isn't just painful, it actually clenches on its own and pulls on the rest of my body. I've definitely been tripped up, because I've been told to focus on my symptoms until they let go, and release. Over years this has completely messed up my brain, but it's so difficult to find a way out, being so exhausted and making lots of mistakes at work.

[@andrewthompsonmusic929]

Did the Pause, reaffirm, continue yesterday in my triggers and it was really great, really really powerful. Thank you

[@thepainpt]

Awesome great job keep going!

[@Lenneke8422-b3t]

Good one pause and calm down and then continue..

[@anjas686]

I love it - thanks a lot for this reminder, very helpful. Also the idea about the storm 🙏

[@edwinaastley6421]

Jim I know what you are saying but this is a tricky issue because sometimes continuing sends the brain further into danger which I guess is why Alan Gordon in The way Out says to use avoidance tactics when pain really high. Somatic tracking when medium to low. That certainly works for me as a better approach because ultimately if you continue to do all the things..the journaling, the not freaking out etc etc then over time it has calmed certainly my brain and then the time to reach terrible gets longer and longer..at least that’s how it’s worked for me..I know exactly what you are saying but also this angle worked for me to be honest

[@jenniferbauer5063]

Same with fatigue that’s been going for about a year? I started doing this work, it lessened significantly so I can exercise now, do lots of life stuff, but it does remain 24x7, just not so intensely that I can hardly walk thank God! This work must be working. But I seem to have stalled. I’m even doing my hard hit workouts and trying to resume life as usual but the day to day of acting like the sensation isn’t there is exhausting. I’m less fearful for sure, but I’m thinking I’m doing something wrong now. I think I need more soothe or meditation time? That’s when I can really feel the sensation with safety. Thank you for your videos, thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️

[@elisabetherkstam6097]

Thank you!❤

[@judithwhitelaw2684]

Thanks Jim I feel like I’m ‘pushing through’ symptoms which seems to scare my brain even more. Today being one of those days - reassurance isn’t helping to calm my system down and big spike in symptoms today. Haven’t been doing anything in particular to cause that to happen. I can feel my system going into freeze mode🫣

[@thepainpt]

This is a good opportunity right now for you to put in the practice what we just said. you’ve got a double down on your belief you might have to get firm with it when it gets strong. you can vary between a sooth versus rage ratio response your symptoms as Sarno said.

[@judithwhitelaw2684]

Thank you 🙏🏻. Yes good advice - will not let this rule my life - my mind is racing and hard to think calmly when it’s like this. An hour at a time 👍🏼

[@fostercity700]

Even my sensations are through the roof, very painful, with little bit of moving around, it went very high, heart beat is so high, crying overwhelmed come automatically. Reassuring calming is not working because very high anxiety sensations.

[@thepainpt]

This is your journey Saroj. You still have to keep working to get your prefrontal cortex stronger because you’re getting overwhelmed by The Sensations. The foundation here is that what you’re experiencing is not dangerous you need to teach the brain that otherwise you keep reinforcing that by reacting to what’s going on in your body. It’s like you’re going around in the loop. To step out of it you need to understand and really apply strongly from the cortex that you’re fine and hold that against whatever limbic brain reactions you get. In time you’ll start to see progress.

[@Jeronimo365]

Jim I feel this is so important but I could really do with some clarification please. 🙏 I push through pretty much every day or at least five days a week as I’m a stay-at-home dad, so I have to do the essential cooking, cleaning, washing, school runs and after school clubs etc. However I do take breaks/lay down rests in between my jobs when the pain or the exhaustion kicks in. Does a 30-60 minute break constitute a pause or a stop? Many thanks. 🙏

[@thepainpt]

Yes you can do that. However I would look at your emotions stress that may be the cause here. And also, if you think another person would be able to do that, what you’re doing without taking a break meaning it’s normal then you might want to look into pulling back on some of that. And also your intention for taking that break. Is it physically too much or mentally and emotionally too much? How much energy are you expanding during the day a lot of TMS people are overachieving over trying over caring and they’re actually burning up a lot of their energy when they should be going through the day not doing that.

[@Jeronimo365]

@@thepainpt many thanks. 🙏

[@jossjekraayvanger7131]

It's really hard to de-freeze in freezing weather, but I guess you are right. My symptoms from the limbic are so strong. I think that the things that I am learning in your classes could probably teach me to handle the pain-spikes better. I need to find a way to calm my system down (faster) after a spike. I also think that I am STILL thinking that the sensation are wrong and that I can not handle them and I am thinking that cramps are dangerous and need a pauze for 2 or 3 days to let the muscles rest. I hated this video in this state!! Now at least I can listen ot out without getting angry with you/ the message. I don't know if I am in feeze though.. for I can still see light at the end of the tunnel. But it's really REALLY cold now. For me cold is as well a trigger as a symptom. The symptom: feeling cold

[@jossjekraayvanger7131]

Is allways there. Also in summer. And cold turns into cramps. And cramps feel so very fysical and wont let me walk or go upstairs. Like a crippled old lady. And next day cramps allover my body. O my limbic reactions are so strong and long lasting. Needed to vent. Needed to pauze to. Guess I will have to start from the beginning. Sorry if I bother you, but I feel bothered too. Thanks a lot for your ongoing support !!! Very much needed and appreciated.

[@thepainpt]

Yes strong reactions! You can do it. Keep strengthening the cortex to buffer the amygdala

[@savamorozov6447]

Doing everything ….. but results are not there yet…. At least I began to breathe then walk not for to long …. Spinal stenosis kicks in …. Stil working on … but so lonely and painful… and trying to hide my pain from everyone around….. I don’t know if it’s ever ends…thank you 🌻🌻🦋🌊🦋

[@joesedlacek7552]

Re read dr. Sarnos’ book. Remember that the stenosis isn’t causing the pain. The doctor told you that. Disassociate yourself from that diagnosis. Just remember the pain is coming from the brain. When you can start believing that it’s half the battle. I know because I have been told the same thing,but I keep pushing and it. Works!😊

[@earthling1377]

Are those prefrontal cortex devices like mendi (i think its called) or something similar helpful for us?

[@lisatullis615]

I get confused sometimes on the line to draw between chronic vs. acute. I feel i have both. I have the chronic day to day nagging lower back pain that varies in intensity and moves around. I can usually work through but and then a time or 2 through out the year where something just seems to snap and my back " is out." I'm assuming the muscle went into spasm. It's very very painful and it's very hard to walk,bending is not an option. That happens in the same area. I do try to calm myself but seems to take a number of days before those acute symptoms go away.

[@thepainpt]

Hey Lisa, yeah you’ll have to work through that little by little doesn’t mean there’s typically anything wrong it’s just that your muscle went into spasm maybe over something you did or possibly some stress see if you can identify the trigger

[@edwinaastley6421]

You know I was thinking for me it is a pause but maybe longer than you are recommending but then once signals calm I step out again and because I have less fear (cause I know I suffered but then it went and that is reassuring) then the next time is less severe and then eventually it’s ok. It’s like a graded exposure if you will

[@Conrick]

Hey Jim, I got a question for you as I feel like I´m a little bit stuck in a very tricky situation in my recovery. I´m an Anxiety patient who developed Fibromyalgia, however after reading multiple resources and working with my nervous system since last december with breathing techniques and positive visualisations, I made huge progress and I´m confident I will recover (Already made good progress). I get the idea of exposing myself to "perceived" threats to brain retrain them. Dealing with the sympathetic overdrive afterwards really is everything and that´s where progress happens and people can extend their window of tolerance. So far I only had the external stimuli (let´s say social events, where I wanted to function), so it was easy for me to dive in - and out and regulate myself again afterwards. However now I´m dealing with Anxiety. The anxiety, that anxiety will always be able to block my capacity to shift back into Parasympathetic nervous system (rest and get ready for the next opportunity/ challange) and thus I feel hard to calm down again as the threat feels justified, as I need to calm down I guess? Trying to forcefully stop the anxiety was a mistake, it made it much worse for obvious reasons. Now I´m trying to calm into it, see it as a symptom I should accept, but don´t need to bite into it (maybe even see it as an opportunity to brain retrain?) but it´s hard for me since I can´t control the exposure (as it´s 24/7) and that´s why it feels different than other stimuli. Maybe I´m just giving too much belief into the lie, that anxiety persists for a very long time, even when calming into it? I´m pretty confident, once I´m able to calm down now in the face of anxiety, this won´t be a problem anymore, but I´m struggling. Any tips in dealing with this?

[@danapc1980]

Does it also apply for fatigue conditions like CFS?

[@Lenneke8422-b3t]

I do that walked for a longer time was very angry though really angry for the first time I was really anger I am not afraid of my symptoms accept then and walk every day even visited my friend to have coffee could not stay long because I didn't want to and symptoms very high so question is, me being angry the reason my symptoms very high?

[@thepainpt]

You are on the right track keep moving keep walking a key here is a take the anger against the sensations in the right way to stand up to them and face them that is you channeling anger in a constructive way. It’s one of the biggest things we can do for our healing.

[@treefrank1376]

Is this the same for CFS? Whenever I do more like physical activity or mental including screens or challenge with different foods, I will have flare ups with a lot more symptoms like gut spasms that can irritate my heart and I can feel weak and shaky and out of breath and heart pounding and racing like I’m just wiped out.

[@thepainpt]

Yes, this is exactly what happens. All those things are mentioning are coming from your brain and nervous system. It’s called central sensitization. It’s nothing to worry about. Keep going and keep relaxing yourself as you do so.

[@treefrank1376]

@@thepainpt how do we get like this to begin with?

[@thepainpt]

stress, anxiety, trauma, adverse childhood events, PTSD, holding emotions

[@treefrank1376]

@@thepainpt one more question. So if I try to keep pushing through and telling myself I’m fine I usually end up with severe dizziness. Like last night I went to my daughter’s Christmas concert. It was a great concert / play, but walking on the way in and the way out, I had to steady myself on the wall and if I had to let go, while I was walking I had to keep telling myself you will be fine. You won’t pass out, you won’t fall, your legs won’t give out. Is that what I should be doing?

[@thepainpt]

Yes, the symptoms are meant to stop you. That’s why they’re getting severe because the brains perceiving danger you have to know better and keep going through them. It’s just anxiety, strong anxiety symptoms you’re having

[@nicholedouglas5459]

Would doing a somatic practice be a great way to pause before resuming activity?

[@charissastanley7243]

Every morning I will wake up very tired or exhausted, I have been diagnosed with pppd, so I have symptoms each day with ear fullness, my sinuses have a pain thru then and in my bone on side of my nose and I find it hard to get thru and accept the sensation I have each day, as it shifts each day a feels slightly different… I struggle each morning, and when I get in the car I feel nervous exhausted paralysed… it’s such a frustrating way to live and I have 3 young kids… any help or courses please let me know what they are I’d love to move forward thru my sensations with support thank you

[@thepainpt]

Yeah, if you feel like you need some more support, I have my group sessions that meet weekly that come with a daily somatic practice or you can reach out to me to do 1-1 sessions with some coaching. I think you need to get in touch with the emotions as well as learn how to use the emotion of anger against sensations, with selftalk in responding.

[@charissastanley7243]

@@thepainpt I’d love to but I’m in australia

[@jossjekraayvanger7131]

@@charissastanley7243 it's all online!

[@annaberg1200]

Is it the same when you get through a discontinuation of medicine? The symptoms are the same but 1000 * worse!

[@thepainpt]

Yes

[@joshl1984]

what about if it's inflammation pain?

[@robinelliott5561]

What if you have POTS? You coukd possibly faint by showering or going outside in the heat.

[@nahidtahira9900]

Hi Jim, how do you push through feeling breathless? I’ve had long covid for 18 month, I have shortness of breath. I’m implementing somatic tracking and taking little walks but struggle with air hunger, I’m trying hard not to panic and try to keep calm and send safety message to my brain but it’s really tough

[@thepainpt]

Hi Nahid I recently helped somebody overcome this. The first thing is to know that you are OK. Check your oxygen reading with one of those pulse oximeters and if it’s OK that means you’re fine. start working through it as long as you know biologically it’s fine you have enough oxygen in your bloodstream work through it. Don’t let it stop you because it’s likely just anxiety.

[@edwinaastley6421]

Hi Nahid I want to let you know that I have shortness of breath/breathlessness when I eat foods that my brain thinks are dangerous and I have overcome it exactly as Jim says. I have an oxygen meter and I measure my oxygen and it’s always amazing but it can be 99/100 and I feel like I’m dying. It was a case of reassuring and continuing on, sending messages of safety and now it doesn’t do it anymore or if it comes up I say ‘oh hey you. I see you. It’s ok. We are ok. ‘ you can let that go and I carry on as best I can and it disappears. Look for evidence of it calming down or going up and down. It’s really hard with breathing bc the fact that that happens sends you into a danger mode itself. You can do this and you will. It just might take a little while but your brain will get the message. 😊

[@nahidtahira9900]

Hi Jim, I was frequently checking my oxygen levels for months when I first experienced the shortness of breath and made many trips to the hospital and my levels and tests were fine. I’ve stopped checking now as the oxygen meter has become a trigger for me.

[@nahidtahira9900]

@@edwinaastley6421 Hi Edwina, I’m pretty sure it must be anxiety, I’ve always been quite an anxious person all my life and I think covid triggered the anxiety symptoms to ramp up. I became very scared of the shortness of breath because I’ve never experienced this before and didn’t know the this sensation could be an anxiety symptom. I think because I’ve had this symptom for 18 months 24/7 I’m constantly focused on it and seems so difficult to believe that this could be just anxiety and not a physical problem.

[@thepainpt]

@@nahidtahira9900 you are 100% fine then. This is anxiety. Start working your way back. Don’t listen to the symptoms otherwise you’re reinforcing anxiety. You’ll feel better in time as you keep doing this.

[@lizwynstra1848]

I’ve had some success lately with belief followed by my back muscles relaxing. Giving me evidence that that is tms. When my back muscles are more relaxed I do have less sciatica. What I’m having trouble with is full belief that the nerve pain is tms. It is better when my muscles relax, but my brain still believes my disc is causing the pain ultimately (just made worse by tight muscles). The pain is so real and my brain just doesn’t want to believe that I don’t ultimately have a disc issue still

[@thepainpt]

Hey Liz, once you’ve ruled out the structural condition meaning what you have is more chronic or it’s pretty typical with aging then move to the belief because it’s true

[@katiehemsworth2108]

So that fibromyalgia spoonie theory is totally rubbish? (If you know what I'm talking about)

[@aikoshimada3167]

When an anxiety attack hits, I use your Letting it come, Letting it go video, and I spend 20-30 mins sitting and going through of “being with the sensations.” But sometimes I repeat it twice. Is that considered “stopping?” Or is that considered pausing?

[@thepainpt]

It’s a pause I’d say but see if you can start to integrate the Strategies while you are doing something so that in time you don’t need to spend as much time and you can just process what’s happening while you’re still doing it because it’s not dangerous

[@aikoshimada3167]

@@thepainpt Ah! That makes sense. Thank you. I noticed myself using your Letting it come, Letting it go video a way to "feel better," instead of becoming better at feeling. So thank you for this suggestion!

[@sbrsportsbook4358]

Wjat about cervogenic feeling headaches? Out of nowhere without an actual injury ..... Have you seen these be TMS and get better . CT and MRI showed nothing . I had some strains on right side of neck the PT did active release on and cleared my whole neck ...

[@thepainpt]

Yeah if tension related then likely TMS especially if structural stuff ruled out

[@sbrsportsbook4358]

@Healing Chronic Pain- The Pain PT thanks for reply . Well he said musculoskeletal..... even though.all my strains are cleared up My neck curve is decent and my posture decent. It's weird how after a month my headacjes were still going but also having neck referred into head issues . Nothing on CT or MRI of my head or neck ..... but the referral from neck and back of my head fits the cervogenic pattern . I wake up pretty good and within 8 hours sometimes more or less the headache will come . I'd hate to put all faith into TMS and have a real cervogenic issue ... But not sure what else it could be as never had neck or headache issues until this . 🤔

[@thepainpt]

Yeah, I would treat it like TMS and if there’s nothing significant on your findings which is there isn’t move ahead you’re fine you really have to believe this. Otherwise you’re going to get stuck in the loop of treatment.