| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| aconner |
Posted - 01/02/2013 : 11:21:22
Hi everyone,
This is a slightly different question, but I am a journalist and will be traveling to NYC later this month to interview Dr. Sarno for a couple of articles I'm working on.
One article is about my own ongoing journey w/TMS, and TMS in general, while the second is a profile of Dr. Sarno himself, as I feel that not much in the media has been made about his specific background. (Feel free to point me in the direction of stories that do get in more detail!)
I'd be curious to get your perspectives on questions that you'd want to ask him. Let me stay up-front that I am trying to avoid asking him any questions that he's heard over and over again ("how does the mainstream medical community feel about your work?"), and that I am hoping to get a better flavor for him as a person and not just a doctor.
Also, if anyone has interacted with him before at any length, I'd love to get your thoughts and would encourage you to send me a private message. I had a preliminary phone chat with him and generally found him to be somewhat closed, so I'm eager for any tips on how I might be able to get him to open up more!
Thanks for your time.
Adam |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| shawnsmith |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 13:43:04
I do agree that knowing more about Dr Sarno would be most interesting and it would be great if someone were to write his biography. I would be first in line to purchase it. But it would be for academic and personal interest and not with a view to gaining recovery from symptoms.
Now as for Howard Stern, many of you might have seen his interview with Dr Sarno. (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYIOOURMuS0) The most amusing thing about Stern is that he demonstrated that he knows almost nothing about what Dr Sarno is teaching other than at a very cursory level and yet he fully recovered because he had full confidence in the TMS diagnosis. In fact, Dr Sarno had to correct him a number of times. What does that tell us -- especially for those who find it necessary to acquire more and more information as a prerequisite to recovery? Stern, with his limited understanding and almost zero reading fully recovered. And yet we, who read and read and read many books over and over again, continue to suffer. Think about that because somewhere in it all there is an answer and I think it has to do with over-intellectualization, something Stern will NEVER be accused of.
For those who are not familiar will Tennis Tom's posts, he has a very unique and sometimes off-the-wall sense of humor. Me and Tom are two old time TMSers who know quite a bit about TMS yet despite our knowledge have not fully recovered, but press on with a lot of hope knowing full well that each person recovers in their own time. |
| aconner |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 10:03:08
Personally, I think that a lot of people on this forum would be interested in learning more about the life, passions and motivations of a man that is almost single-handedly responsible for saving the lives of so many people on this forum and all over the world.
I figured there would thus be a lot of questions along those lines, and that definitely seems to be the case!
I recognize that this is perhaps not as important to the question of helping people with their individual TMS stories - but there are many other threads on the forum that help with precisely that!
Thanks again for everyone's contributions. Feel free to PM me as well with anything you don't feel comfortable sharing on the thread...
Adam |
| Ace1 |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 09:28:59
Agree with shawn, I dont think any of these questions will help anyone with their recovery. It just may be interesting to know (just for fun). |
| shawnsmith |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 09:22:24
quote:
Originally posted by tennis tom
Shawn, if you would watch more Howard Stern it would speed your recovery.
It would also increase my internal rage. I find the guy totally obnoxious. But he is not bad on America's Got Talent as they reigned him in. Yes, Howie baby caved in for the bucks. |
| tennis tom |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 09:15:03
Shawn, if you would watch more Howard Stern it would speed your recovery.
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| shawnsmith |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 09:04:32
Personally, I would not want to know the answer to any of these questions as they contribute nothing to my understanding of TMS or to recovery. |
| aconner |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 08:31:42
Hi everyone,
Wow - these are great questions! I'd never thought about old age and how Dr. Sarno might explain physical pain resulting from that.
Does anyone else have other knowledge about Dr. Sarno that they think might be interesting for me to follow up? I'm thinking about things like his background - I know he is from Brooklyn, and that he went to Kalamazoo College and serve in the army, but I find it hard to believe that nobody seems to have ever asked me how he got into medicine in the first place, etc.
Anyway, I have another week or so before I'm seeing him, so I'd love any other feedback you have! I don't mean to hijack the forum on this but it seems like a lot of journalists have focused on the same sorts of questions over and over again, and so I thought the forum might be a great outlet for getting some input...
Adam |
| Ace1 |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 08:07:45
My question to ask him is:
How did he avoid law suits since what he is teaching is contrary to standard medical advice (despite it being true). I forgot to ask him this question when I met with him before. |
| Racer |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 07:58:42
Hi Aconnor,
Few questions from me to Dr. Sarno.
1. What is the advice Dr. Sarno can give to those having TMS, with no options left and struggling to disown responsibilities which they don't like (the cause for their TMS)?
2. Are married men more prone to TMS than singles?
3. Is he planning to come up with any new book?
Thanks. |
| tennis tom |
Posted - 01/04/2013 : 05:10:12
Dr. Sarno, if you had it to do over again, would you have specialized in psychiatry instead of rehabilitation medicine?
Who is your favorite psychiatrist?
Who do you like better Freud or Jung?
How did you come up with your theory that TMS is a PROTECTOR versus a PUNISHER as Freud postulated?
From a nomenclature point of view. is there any difference between calling things PSYCHOSOMATIC or TMS?
How do you feel about renaming TMS, PPDA?
Is it annoying to you that the psychological community, psychiatrists and psychologists, don't know about and embrace TMS theory, when it seems logical that they should?
Why did you limit your practice to patients only from the tri states area? Did you ever treat celebrities you can name from outside the tri states? Did you like palpating Mrs. Robinson? Did you tell your wife? Did you ask for her autograph? Do you ever watch the Howard Stern show? Are injuries from bologna tossing TMS or real?
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| andy64tms |
Posted - 01/03/2013 : 13:16:40
Hi Alan,
I would like to know if Dr. Sarno ever went windsurfing, after all he needs a break?
Andy
Past TMS Experience in 2000, with success.
Stopped Wiki Edu Program in lieu of own journalling
Charlie Horse on neck for 20 years, is almost gone.
Books:
Healing Back Pain
Unlearn your Pain
The Great Pain Deception |
| tennis tom |
Posted - 01/03/2013 : 09:54:02
Does Dr. Sarno ever get TMS? What has he had since migraines?
Does he take any painkillers? What painkillers would he recommend?
What does he think of arthroscopic hip surgery?
Has he played tennis; if so how much?
Do he and his wife fight or have "civilized" social intercourse? Does his wife and he agree on TMS? Does she get annoyed if he says to her, "It's just TMS dear."?
Does Dr. Sarno know of the existence of this web site?
Would he ever make a guest appearance here?
What is the furthest he's run?
What kind of car does he drive?
If he comes to San Francisco, can I buy him dinner? What's his favorite dish?
Does he think having sex is a good way of balancing the "rage/soothe ratio"?
Is Dr. Sarno really Dave? |
| shawnsmith |
Posted - 01/03/2013 : 09:18:16
Hi Mala
My question is what motivates you to ask these questions in the first place? If I may venture to speculate, I would say that your question indicates some doubt in your mind that you have TMS and thus you want to compile as much information as possible. SteveO in his book writes that wanting more and more information is in itself TMSing. I suggest, as does SteveO, is that you read Dr. Sarno's books over and over and over and over again until you become convinced of the TMS diagnosis. In the meantime, be patient and don't become overwhelmed with despair, but try to participate in activities you enjoy doing and which gives you pleasure despite the pain you are currently experiencing. I know this is not easy, trust me I totally get it, but you have to try again and again. |
| alix |
Posted - 01/03/2013 : 03:23:15
I am really reconsidering this. In fact after reflection, Dr.Sarno's theory is so clear and so solidly exposed that I don't think there is any clarification needed from his part. In regards to his beliefs and private life, I am truly not interested. |
| mala |
Posted - 01/03/2013 : 01:43:44
Here are some I thought of.
1. Does he suffer from TMS & if so what & how has he dealt with it?
2. What is NOT TMS?
3. Is there anything he would like to say to TMSers who are not his patients?
4. Is there anything he would like to say about books on TMS which have been written by other people?
5. Most old people have some form of pain from various degenerative changes. IS that TMS. If not then why do they have pain?
Thx
Mala
Mala Singh Barber. I'm on facebook. Look me up
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| Aussie |
Posted - 01/03/2013 : 00:26:37
I am re listening to HBP on audio currently. Sarno definitely mentions that on rare occasions Herniated discs clearly need surgical intervention. Do Herniated discs cause pain? No not in 99% of average cases but Sarno clearly acknowledges the rare cases that are not Tms.
He also mentions seeing Stenosis cases that have required surgery. I am aware these are extremely rare but saying all is Tms is not correct. |
| maccafan |
Posted - 01/02/2013 : 21:42:35
Ace, you have a TMS personality as well. We all do or we wouldn't be on this forum.
I don't know what impression you are talking about for which subject.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adam,
Sorry that your original post has been side tracked and I hope the discussion starts to come back to it.
Maccafan |
| tennis tom |
Posted - 01/02/2013 : 21:42:20
quote:
Originally posted by Ace1
...I am not dismissive of your posts but you are clearly not cured, that is the truth. The truth is how can someone give sound advice if they themselves are not cured?
That would be an excellent question for Dr. Sarno. I only regurgitate, as accurately as I can, what I've learned from the TMS scholars.
I feel I only owe you half a beer. Not to be argumentative, but I don't feel two times is the same as "numerous".
Cheerfully,
tt
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| pspa123 |
Posted - 01/02/2013 : 21:40:13
Sure there are old folks with no pain. I am not saying it's inevitable to be in pain. But to go more global, I imagine there are people with relatively little physical pain who also have serious emotional issues (I know quite a few actually), and conversely I know people who at least from all appearances are relatively at peace emotionally who have a ton of pain apparently from chronic physical activity/chronic injuries. I am not sure we know enough yet to make absolute statements that all chronic pain is psychogenic, in other words.
Let me raise something else. I used to run marathons. I had a relatively heavy build and stiff legs, and had biomechanical issues. I had a lot of chronic injuries/pain during the years I was running. Now you and Marc Sopher likely would say those were just manifestations of TMS and/or that I was just conditioned to experience pain, and that any "treatment" I got that improved things was just placebo, but what's the proof that the way I experienced these things was not valid? |
| Ace1 |
Posted - 01/02/2013 : 21:25:29
Sure pspa, I enjoy this too,
Do you know anyone in their 90s with no pain? I know quite a few. Now do you think their bones are degenerated? You bet ya. Now why don't hey have pain. We X-ray people like them all the time see herniated discs all the time but they are completely asymptomatic. That doesn't make logical sense, but its true. I don't know if you believe in God. If you do it makes total sense. It's as if your body regenerates itself and fixes itself right as long as the individual or organism is at peace. It's weird but its true, In some people this process is quick like a few months, some take long time like years and some people may never get it. I think everybody has this potential though |
