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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Darryl Sanford on August 6, 2003, at 16:26:30
I'm wondering whether it is typcial for a depressed person to be plagued by strange physical sensations. That has been true in my case for the past 6 months or so. In fact, it seems to me these are almost the only manifestation of my "depression," or whatever it is. At first, my doctor and I both thought there was an organic cause, but tests don't find anything, which is why he called in a psychiatrist. When I say "sensations," these can range from actual pain (such as burning in the chest) to a kind of tickling sensation in the abdomen or back. If all this would go away, it seems to me I would be normal. Am I the only person to experience such strange things?
Darryl
Posted by Kyp on August 6, 2003, at 19:26:42
In reply to physical sensations, posted by Darryl Sanford on August 6, 2003, at 16:26:30
Physical body sensations are very common in people who have energy blocked in their bodies from past trauma. Even good sensations happen ie. a feeling of satisfaction and peace when a nice, familiar smell is experienced.
I get body work done on a regular basis. The way I understand it is that energy gets stored in my body and I feel pain or whatever as a body memory. It is stirred up out of being triggered by an emotional situation I am not always even aware of. With my massage therapist, I do a breathing exercise that brings up these sensations, then he massages in those spots and it releases the energy and I end up remembering chidhood experiences and feel refreshed at the end of the session even though the memory might not have been pleasant. I feel better after getting rid of the "negative" energy. It is like crying releases good chemicals, physically, that are rooted in an emotion. I seek the sensations in a controlled setting and then they are minimized in the everyday realm. I am learning to listen to what my body is trying to tell me.
Posted by Dinah on August 7, 2003, at 8:42:52
In reply to physical sensations, posted by Darryl Sanford on August 6, 2003, at 16:26:30
I get sensations like that from anxiety. Is it possible you have some degree of anxiety?
Posted by Darryl Sanford on August 7, 2003, at 10:10:07
In reply to Re: physical sensations » Darryl Sanford, posted by Dinah on August 7, 2003, at 8:42:52
> I get sensations like that from anxiety. Is it possible you have some degree of anxiety?
I wasn't aware of any particular anxiety going on when all this started late last year. The feeling was in my upper abdomen, like an ulcer, at first. Then it seemed like GERD in the chest and throat. Evenually, burning sensations began popping up at various places, which is when I began to realize this was all of mental origin somehow. Once I realized that, and started getting some sleep with the help of a small dose of mirtapazine (Remeron) at night, the sensations subsided, so that now I don't actually feel pain. When the "feelings" emerge, though, the sensations are disturbing because of what they signify to me--i.e., "you're not normal." You might say I have psyched myself out. I'm assuming this whole thing will just fade away over time. I would like to go off the medicine at some point. The act of taking it also signifies, "you're not normal."
I know that's the wrong attitude, but it's how I perceive it.I did see a psychologist for a few visits, and she demonstrated some relaxation techiques, which seem to help. In general, I got the impression she didn't feel my problem was a very serious one--which is something I find encouraging, actually.
Darryl
Posted by Kyp on August 7, 2003, at 11:11:43
In reply to Re: physical sensations » Darryl Sanford, posted by Dinah on August 7, 2003, at 8:42:52
I know of a book called "Visual Journaling" by Barbara Ganin and Susan Fox that is excellent for discovering what pains and sensations are telling you. It involves being open to art therapy and changed my life in bringing out the creativity in me and finding out about what my body is telling me.
Posted by Kyp on August 7, 2003, at 11:16:00
In reply to Re: physical sensations, posted by Kyp on August 7, 2003, at 11:11:43
Oh brother, in getting paranoid of Dr. Bob mentioning the double quotes thing, I put the wrong book up for the link thing! It should be "Visual Journaling" by Barbara Ganin not the other book I know nothing about. SO Sorry.
Posted by Darryl Sanford on August 7, 2003, at 13:17:37
In reply to Amazon link mistake!!, posted by Kyp on August 7, 2003, at 11:16:00
> Oh brother, in getting paranoid of Dr. Bob mentioning the double quotes thing, I put the wrong book up for the link thing! It should be "Visual Journaling" by Barbara Ganin not the other book I know nothing about. SO Sorry.
At any rate, I appreciate the tip. I am inclined to believe that channeling the imagination is the key to my solution, since it was a disordered imagination, perhaps, that got me off track in the first place.
thanks,
Darryl
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