What's The Deal With Somatoform Pain?

[Seasounds]

(In response to your original post)

Working through PTSD related somatoform pain, on a budget:bored: ; I get your frustration. My situation was similar. If I could do it, so can you! :) The short version, is cultivate paychosomatic release on your own, while you use some professional or friend, to witness, and to validate you, while you give expression to your process. (Expression of your trauma helps extricate it from your body.) Use body workers, from time to time, to help release stored tension, in affected areas, from your body.

Long version below; please forgive the following unsequential thoughts.

• I agree, most therapy is verbally based, not oriented to people with very early traumas. Sitting in a room with an authority figure is very challenging for me; I can't sit directly facing my therapist, need to get up to move, many times per session to regulate my tension.
• Even Art and Movement Therapists, may not be accustomed to the 'unpressured timing' that it takes for a deep body memory to communicate images and feelings. I've experienced that sometimes it is too painful for T to image our pain, so they may change the topic, interrupt us, etc. I sometimes have wanted to try to use an entire session to just be silent and safe with another; Ts think it is a waste of their time.
• I've needed time to develop and trust body awareness, somatic listening skills, and working with the images and feelings. Letting the somatic experiences give rise to the descriptive term, doesn't happen at the snap of a finger. Too many questions, and pressure from others, can close the process down.
• Somatic Therapists may or may not teach skills that would help clients, who have early traumas, be more independent and help them release somatoform pain, themselves.
• Seeing a body worker who is good at working with light or deep tissue release with PTSD folks, at times, is very useful; I think the body needs help to release trauma, after the emotions have been released.

What's The Deal With Somatoform Pain?

From what I can put together from my life, my body created patterns of ignoring pain as a child; since I didn't emotionally process it, my body stored it.

Now (present day), if I don't emotionally process the emotional aspects of any current trauma, (consciously remembered or not) the current trauma get stored, through the old 'routes' as physical pain. It may show up as back pain, headaches, etc. I think the disadvantage to early trauma, is that there has been a pattern put in place, of not relating to emotional pain.

• The task/challenge is to create a new pattern:1st- emotionally relating to pain, 2nd-acknowledging it, and 3rd-giving it a voice-however you want-art, movement, music, etc., 4. Having body work done, to open new 'release' pathways, for energy.
• It is possible to apply this 'release skill set' to old pains in the body; this is where your sensitive awareness, creativity, resourcefulness, and the occasional help of a body worker is useful-to physically help the energy to move.

"How"I did it, (maybe helpful for you to create your own way)

• Through regular Mindfulness and Vipassana meditation, I gently brought my awareness through my body, listening to and observing sensations. (By nature, meditation follows your intention,-so no need to 'try' to make it happen.' So if you want to excavate old memories, gently set your intentions there, and it will happen. Also, I let myself be aware of dreams, especially traumatic ones.
• I complemented the meditations with enjoyable exercise, etc.
• Following intuitional ideas to helped me. I used alternative therapies.
• After a time, a deeper level of self-awareness, call it hunches, arose from listening (vs imposing), to the pains. I decided to trust the images and feelings and work with them, as if they really happened. I kept this information as My truth, no one else's (to avoid blaming).
• This information gave way to images I could work with; then I learned to express emotions in front of another person; eventually did it with a therapist. The 'compassionate' presence of another is very healing; it validates, and helps the release of trauma.
• Thankfully, Somatic Therapists don't have exclusive rights to releasing or processing somatoform pain.

  Is it possible to have pain related to Link Removed that is of an intensity requiring opiates?

  Yes, absolutely i've had it, and resolved it, with the above processes. As an example, after a family reunion, in which I had my first flashbacks, I pushed the images aside. Within five days, I had such severe cramps that I needed pain meds. After 4 years, of applying the above methods, I was free of debilitating cramps.

Has anyone had luck with body memories, somatoform stuff, or chronic pain through just talk therapy or on their own

Yes, using a combo of talk therapy and working on my own. It is possible! (Described above.)

Good luck!

 

[Chava]

may not be accustomed to the 'unpressured timing' that it takes for a deep body memory to communicate images and feelings. I've experienced that sometimes it is too painful for T to image our pain, so they may change the topic, interrupt us, etc. I sometimes have wanted to try to use an entire session to just be silent and safe with another; Ts think it is a waste of their time.

So true!! One session of talk therapy silence and I was thrown into the hospital and put on anti-psychotics. Okay, I was a starved zombie-like shell of myself, but still it felt like I was totally left with that with no support. I do appreciate a therapist just allowing silence. Part of that is actually my non-traumatized personality too, but also certainly early and non-verbal trauma. A lot of my inexplicable pain relates to simply holding myself up. Early symptoms of physical collapse too.

Glad you've found so much that works for you @Saetva . On my own I was not even able to get any somatic connection. It would have been like someone telling me, "Speak Russian!" when I don't even know "hi" in the language. The support and gentle direction of somatic therapy has been very helpful. No, I don't think I will resolve my traumas by myself. Not defeatist, I just don't have the tools on my own and the trauma itself probably has to play out in relation to another careful person. Like you said, the compassionate presence of another is healing. I don't have those people in my life and don't have the skills to get that far, though working on basic friendships. I scare people off just telling them I have this pain because they don't feel equipped to respond. A therapist helps me not feel so f#cking crazy, you know? It's taken a couple years just to warm up to a nice and well-trained trauma therapist. If I could figure it out without therapy I would have done that myself by now because therapy is certainly a time commitment.

But I have worked a lot on the pain management stuff and hope to get back on my horse with that, doing a better job. I can't do bodywork, touch stuff. Makes me want to kill myself. But my therapist can sometimes put her hand on my back. I don't trust regular bodywork people, not because they aren't good, but I don't have enough understanding of my early traumas yet. There is definitely a gap in how I perceive pain and emotions.

I have a lot of mindful movement tools I've gotten a little better at using, like it's really "me" taking care of myself vs feeling like I'm forcing or fighting myself. The support helps and I don't think insurance's timing jives with my body's timing, so thinking about what available resources might feel okay (and not just added overwhelm of another talk therapy scenario). Just no perfect answer right now. I know I'm not powerless but I believe I still need help. Too much wanting to die lately and seeking support is a newer skill for me that I realize helps me feel empowered. My friends just can't be this kind of support, I know...

Thanks again for sharing your ideas and what has helped you

 

[Seasounds]

Please know, I didn't mean to not get professional help, if you want and need it. You have a sense of your needs!

I realize that I didn't state that since I couldn't afford therapy for many years (couldn't work, no insurance), I traded cleaning offices for therapy, and I taught myself about meditation and somatic release, through library books and a free meditation class; nothing elitist at all.

I'm sorry that your pain is so uncomfortable, and that it has been hard. I hope things get better. Take care.