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Freedom from Fibromyalgia : The 5-Week Program Proven to Conquer Pain
Free yourself from pain in just five weeks!
If you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from fibromyalgia, you’re all too familiar with the excruciating pain, overwhelming fatigue, and, in severe cases, total incapacitation that this disorder brings. Here at last, from a physician who specializes in treating fibromyalgia, is a clinically proven program that can free you from pain and other symptoms in as little as five weeks -- without drugs, supplements, or special diets.
Freedom from Fibromyalgia presents Dr. Selfridge’s highly effective mind-body approach, organized in a step-by-step, week-by-week program anyone can follow:
* Week 1: Plan to heal
* Week 2: Show your brain and body who’s boss
* Week 3: Teach your brain and body to live with rage
* Week 4: Time to start feeling really good again
* Week 5: How to make freedom from fibromyalgia last
Filled with helpful examples and the voices of patients who have found freedom from fibromyalgia through Dr. Selfridge’s program, this book will put you on the path to lasting healing.
If you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from fibromyalgia, you’re all too familiar with the excruciating pain, overwhelming fatigue, and, in severe cases, total incapacitation that this disorder brings. Here at last, from a physician who specializes in treating fibromyalgia, is a clinically proven program that can free you from pain and other symptoms in as little as five weeks -- without drugs, supplements, or special diets.
Freedom from Fibromyalgia presents Dr. Selfridge’s highly effective mind-body approach, organized in a step-by-step, week-by-week program anyone can follow:
* Week 1: Plan to heal
* Week 2: Show your brain and body who’s boss
* Week 3: Teach your brain and body to live with rage
* Week 4: Time to start feeling really good again
* Week 5: How to make freedom from fibromyalgia last
Filled with helpful examples and the voices of patients who have found freedom from fibromyalgia through Dr. Selfridge’s program, this book will put you on the path to lasting healing.
272 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2001
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47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 14, 2017
This book explains the mind-body connection of fibromyalgia, the excruciating symptoms of it and how your emotions are connected to it. The book has some really good techniques that can be adopted by not only people who suffer from fibromyalgia, but also others. It talks about how one can harness writing, positive thinking, and meditation to alleviate symptoms. It explains the how’s and why’s of the techniques that it talks about and makes it so simple that you have a clearly laid down plan and timetable. You just need to start following it.
It is a five-week program with specific writing and meditation exercise for each week. It starts small and then builds its way through. It covers techniques like journaling, meditation, anger management and building a social support which can go a long way in helping you fight your illness.
It is a five-week program with specific writing and meditation exercise for each week. It starts small and then builds its way through. It covers techniques like journaling, meditation, anger management and building a social support which can go a long way in helping you fight your illness.
September 8, 2009
Review Part One:
I just finished reading this book tonight and I will definitely be trying the five week mind over body methods presented in this book to try and kick my fibromyalgia monster. The book was informative, and really made me hopeful to try a new approach. I am prepared for a lot of journaling and self-reflecting, so I guess it will be a lot like my teaching classes a few years ago. ;) I will post a follow-up when I complete the five week program. (I will be starting the program on Monday, September 14, 2009.)
Review Part Two:
Coming soon!
I just finished reading this book tonight and I will definitely be trying the five week mind over body methods presented in this book to try and kick my fibromyalgia monster. The book was informative, and really made me hopeful to try a new approach. I am prepared for a lot of journaling and self-reflecting, so I guess it will be a lot like my teaching classes a few years ago. ;) I will post a follow-up when I complete the five week program. (I will be starting the program on Monday, September 14, 2009.)
Review Part Two:
Coming soon!
May 2, 2009
It really works and is a great book! Recommend it to those with fibro
August 29, 2019
Promising; certainly worth a try
Something's going on here
But what it is ain't exactly clear
--Bob Dylan
These lyrics from a few years back pretty much sum up the medical position on fibromyalgia. Selfridge, who is a medical doctor, and Franklynn, who is a professional writer, don't make it any clearer, but they have the considerable merit (especially from the point of view of the fibromyalgia sufferer) of having suffered from the disease themselves. Selfridge advertises herself as "90 percent cured" (p. 23) while Franklynn "feels at least 90 percent improved" (p. 26).
Although Selfridge rightly disparages the term "psychosomatic" (p. 40), it is clear that she believes that the proximate cause of fibromyalgia is the effect negative emotions have on the body, particularly the emotions of anger and rage. She believes that the "mind, brain, and body conspire to generate...real physical symptoms" (p. 60). Here's the way the authors lay it out on pages 58-60: "For sensitive people" having grown up "amidst tensions too overwhelming" for their "sensitive nervous system[s]," having been shoved "relentlessly toward the impossible goal of being perfect[,]...a significant loss--of a loved one, a job, status, or income--or a significant emotional shakeup, such as a car accident" can be the event that "may stimulate the production of chemicals that create fibromyalgia symptoms." In short (p. 61), "Fibromyalgia sufferers are more sensitive to stress than the general population."
Are they right? Nobody knows for sure. Fibromyalgia, like some other chronic diseases that plague our society--the many kinds of arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, etc.--may be the result of some as yet unidentified factor of modern life. Most likely they are the result of a combination of factors, creating a mind-body syndrome of illness. Until such time as medical science figures it out, we have to go on living. Can we live without pain? (I use the editorial "we" not because I personally suffer from fibromyalgia, but because someone I love does, and I identify strongly with her suffering.) The authors say we can, and they lay out a five week program. Does it work?
I would say that it indeed will work in many cases, not only for sufferers of fibromyalgia, but for sufferers of many other chronic diseases of unclear etiology, perhaps some of those mentioned above. The reason is simple: their prescription includes things as meditation, regular exercise ("becoming a couch potato can aggravate fibromyalgia" p. 232), a positive attitude toward yourself and your place in the world and so on--things we all should be doing as matter of course. I would add that a belief in a power beyond the body and beyond the "ego-I" created by the bioculture would help. Note that, most significantly for fibromyalgia sufferers, it is the management of anger that the authors prescribe. Anger comes from frustration. We are not getting what we want, which is to be loved and appreciated. We want and need to be admired for our good qualities and given some slack for our not-so-good qualities. If it is true, as the authors state, that "Close to 90 percent of known fibromyalgia sufferers are women" (p. 20), we might very well ask why? An answer could be that women especially suffer from a poor self image because of the media propaganda of our society that has devalued those women who are not slim, young, rich, famous, and beautiful. The secret is not to change the society, which is impossible. It is to change our attitude toward society's delusions. As in yoga, it is a process of renunciation: we need to renounce (and really believe it) society's mistaken judgment. We also need to understand "you can't always get what you want" and recognize the negative effect unfulfilled desire can have on ourselves. When I was young and relatively handsome, the girls used to listen to every word I said. Now that I am old and gray, they don't find me so intelligent anymore. What happened to me? Nothing. (I may even have gotten smarter.) What is the cure? Not to care. To understand who and where I am, and to be content with that--indeed to revel in it.
The authors include a short chapter on Resources with places to write, Web sites, and books to read including two by Deepak Chopra and three by John E. Sarno, whose The Mindbody Prescription (1998) was obviously part of the inspiration for this book.
Incidentally, the reason that the authors and most authorities now reject the term "psychosomatic" is that it has picked up the unfortunate and incorrect sense of "a mental illness" or "an illness caused by mental problems." This is not what the word means; the usage is corrupt; alas, nothing can be done about that. A new word is needed, or better yet, a new understanding, such as presented in this book, that mind affects body; body affects mind, and that an imbalance can lead to illness.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
Something's going on here
But what it is ain't exactly clear
--Bob Dylan
These lyrics from a few years back pretty much sum up the medical position on fibromyalgia. Selfridge, who is a medical doctor, and Franklynn, who is a professional writer, don't make it any clearer, but they have the considerable merit (especially from the point of view of the fibromyalgia sufferer) of having suffered from the disease themselves. Selfridge advertises herself as "90 percent cured" (p. 23) while Franklynn "feels at least 90 percent improved" (p. 26).
Although Selfridge rightly disparages the term "psychosomatic" (p. 40), it is clear that she believes that the proximate cause of fibromyalgia is the effect negative emotions have on the body, particularly the emotions of anger and rage. She believes that the "mind, brain, and body conspire to generate...real physical symptoms" (p. 60). Here's the way the authors lay it out on pages 58-60: "For sensitive people" having grown up "amidst tensions too overwhelming" for their "sensitive nervous system[s]," having been shoved "relentlessly toward the impossible goal of being perfect[,]...a significant loss--of a loved one, a job, status, or income--or a significant emotional shakeup, such as a car accident" can be the event that "may stimulate the production of chemicals that create fibromyalgia symptoms." In short (p. 61), "Fibromyalgia sufferers are more sensitive to stress than the general population."
Are they right? Nobody knows for sure. Fibromyalgia, like some other chronic diseases that plague our society--the many kinds of arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, etc.--may be the result of some as yet unidentified factor of modern life. Most likely they are the result of a combination of factors, creating a mind-body syndrome of illness. Until such time as medical science figures it out, we have to go on living. Can we live without pain? (I use the editorial "we" not because I personally suffer from fibromyalgia, but because someone I love does, and I identify strongly with her suffering.) The authors say we can, and they lay out a five week program. Does it work?
I would say that it indeed will work in many cases, not only for sufferers of fibromyalgia, but for sufferers of many other chronic diseases of unclear etiology, perhaps some of those mentioned above. The reason is simple: their prescription includes things as meditation, regular exercise ("becoming a couch potato can aggravate fibromyalgia" p. 232), a positive attitude toward yourself and your place in the world and so on--things we all should be doing as matter of course. I would add that a belief in a power beyond the body and beyond the "ego-I" created by the bioculture would help. Note that, most significantly for fibromyalgia sufferers, it is the management of anger that the authors prescribe. Anger comes from frustration. We are not getting what we want, which is to be loved and appreciated. We want and need to be admired for our good qualities and given some slack for our not-so-good qualities. If it is true, as the authors state, that "Close to 90 percent of known fibromyalgia sufferers are women" (p. 20), we might very well ask why? An answer could be that women especially suffer from a poor self image because of the media propaganda of our society that has devalued those women who are not slim, young, rich, famous, and beautiful. The secret is not to change the society, which is impossible. It is to change our attitude toward society's delusions. As in yoga, it is a process of renunciation: we need to renounce (and really believe it) society's mistaken judgment. We also need to understand "you can't always get what you want" and recognize the negative effect unfulfilled desire can have on ourselves. When I was young and relatively handsome, the girls used to listen to every word I said. Now that I am old and gray, they don't find me so intelligent anymore. What happened to me? Nothing. (I may even have gotten smarter.) What is the cure? Not to care. To understand who and where I am, and to be content with that--indeed to revel in it.
The authors include a short chapter on Resources with places to write, Web sites, and books to read including two by Deepak Chopra and three by John E. Sarno, whose The Mindbody Prescription (1998) was obviously part of the inspiration for this book.
Incidentally, the reason that the authors and most authorities now reject the term "psychosomatic" is that it has picked up the unfortunate and incorrect sense of "a mental illness" or "an illness caused by mental problems." This is not what the word means; the usage is corrupt; alas, nothing can be done about that. A new word is needed, or better yet, a new understanding, such as presented in this book, that mind affects body; body affects mind, and that an imbalance can lead to illness.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
May 18, 2008
This book explains the mind-body connection of fibromyalgia, and how one can harness writing, positive thinking, and meditation to alleviate symptoms. It has a five-week writing component with specific writing and meditation exercises for each week.
August 6, 2022
Freedom from Fibromyalgia: the five-week program to conquer pain. First, I don't have fibromyalgia, but I am interested in any effective treatments for living a better life. The book is extremely informational and provides a lot of help for those experiencing chronic pain.
I believe this book helps more than just one type of chronic pain, i.e., Fibromyalgia. The book provides life and health suggestions, journaling prompts, and supports the 5weeks to living better. This is an ongoing process, so I will do a more thorough review later.
In the meantime, I recommend the steps in the book as another tool to battle and conquer daily pain and life circumstances that make functioning more challenging.
I believe this book helps more than just one type of chronic pain, i.e., Fibromyalgia. The book provides life and health suggestions, journaling prompts, and supports the 5weeks to living better. This is an ongoing process, so I will do a more thorough review later.
In the meantime, I recommend the steps in the book as another tool to battle and conquer daily pain and life circumstances that make functioning more challenging.
September 14, 2013
This book was recommended to me. However, it is an old book and the understanding about mind-body connection has progressed since it was written. Although it was written with pain reduction in mind, I think the Feeling Good Books by Dr. David Burns are probably better put together, even if they are probably older than this book. http://www.feelinggood.com
Read
June 19, 2011This book had some good info, some of the info you just don't care about their opinion.
August 5, 2013
This book is basically the mind, body, spirit connections. It it informs you of how you use you mind to control you pain.
Want to read
May 15, 2012Don't believe at all this will "cure fibromyalgia," but might have some interesting ideas.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews