Unlearn Your Pain

by Howard Schubiner, Michael Betzold

This updated edition of Unlearn Your Pain contains 50 more pages and new information. It offers cutting edge scientific information on the mind body connection and a complete guided program for recovery from mind body syndromes.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Science, Medical

360 pages, Paperback

First published June 27, 2013

Reviews

[Sara Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did not cure my pain. I didn’t expect it to, but my chronic pain support group wanted to read it, so I went with it. People who’ve had an emotional trauma that they’ve internalized can experience physical pain from it. The brain does this as a way to express bottled-up emotional pain. And the physical pain they feel is absolutely real. The brain is an amazing thing!

A lady in my support group who has suffered from chronic pain most of her life found this book to be a lifesaver. While reading it, she realized that her pain stemmed from the time when she was raped (as a teenager). That’s when her migraines started, and other parts of her body developed pain throughout her life. The lady is now in her 60’s and is just now realizing the connection.

My chronic pain was brought on by an accident with very physical injuries (broken bones and such), so I couldn’t totally relate to the people for whom the book seemed to work the best. Even though I think the author would say the book should cure me too (b/c it’s been 8 years since my accident, my injuries are “old,” and the tissue damage has “healed”), I have a harder time believing that expressing any pent-up emotional grief will make me pain-free.

But I DO see how people with chronic pain from actual physical tissue damage (like mine) can prolong and worsen their pain by keeping traumatic emotions inside. That’s where this book has helped me. I’ve noticed that my anxiety and tendency to internalize/suppress negative emotions can make my pain flares much worse. So although I wasn’t cured, I found some of the ideas/methods in this book helpful for ongoing pain management.

[Nancy Groves · Rating 5 out of 5]

After trying countless unsuccessful treatments for pelvic pain and piriformis syndrome that included medications, injections, physical therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic care, I found Dr. Schubiner at Providence Hospital in Michigan. After meeting with him and completing the 4 week workbook lessons in this book, the pelvic pain has gone and the piriformis pain has been relieved. This book not only relieved the pain but also illuminated the importance of honoring oneself as an integral part of the healing process.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For people who suffer with chronic illnesses and pain - all I can say is try it. Don't get it on library loan. Seriously, if you struggle with chronic pain, don't waste your time. Order your own copy which also comes with a cd. and blank work pages you can use for yourself. Nothing seems to compare with Schubiner's protocol which has already been the almost miraculous healing for some people I know. It has much to do with the new research coming out that links the brain to the body. This is sometimes known as MBS - Mind Body Syndrome. Just try it. Or first go to the online site http://www.unlearnyourpain.com and check it out. Then order the book.

[Sylvia Massara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an aspiring neuroscience and neuroplasticity polymath I have to say that I found this book to be absolutely excellent.

The author not only combines his deep knowledge of how the brain works when it comes to rewiring itself, and causing all sorts of chronic health conditions (both mental and physical), but he also writes with the compassion and reassurance that we rarely find in a scientific/medical book written by a scientist or doctor.

I believe what makes this book such a great resource to work with is not only the vast knowledge and experience the author possesses as to what is at the root of up to 34 health conditions considered to be "mind/body syndromes" or MBS, but it is the deep empathy with which he shares his experience after having helped thousands of patients who were dismissed by mainstream medicine as hopeless or too complicated to treat.

As a sufferer of decades of chronic pain and other MBS conditions, I attest to the fact that after many books written on the subject on how to deal with these type of conditions and retraining the brain in order to calm the hypervigilance within in order to build healthier neural pathways, this is one of the best tools I have come across and I am already seeing results, which I have not experienced with other self-help books and resources of this nature.

Lastly, some people may be put off by the many writing exercises suggested in this book, but people must realise they do not have to do all of them (and even the author states this fact). For me personally, I am at the stage where I recognise the emotions, feelings, past traumas, etc, that have contributed toward a hypervigilant brain, and so I took from this book what helped me the most--the knowledge, experience, and reassurance of the author that with patience and perseverance we can rebuild and rewire our brain's neural pathways back to good health.

[Sam Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlearn Your Pain is undeniably a popular book for those embarking on a personal journey to recovery. I can attest that Dr Howard Schubiner's approach worked for me and have recommended it to friends and family.

Others have covered the content of Unlearn Your Pain in depth, so I will not repeat this information. The following is a quick summary of what I liked and what could be improved. I have published a more detailed review over at my blog here.

What I liked about Unlearn Your Pain
- A safe and low-risk approach to healing. You are in CONTROL.
- Good mix of theory and practice. Theory must be appreciated as the modern mainstream approach to pain management is far behind the current peer reviewed research.
- The written exercises and audio meditation tracks are helpful.
- Can be used as a reference workbook and returned to time and time again as other issues resurface.

What I disliked
- Workbook style. It would be more convenient to have smaller portable copy to read when I had a spare 5 minutes.
- Hard to keep on track with the daily exercises. Serious motivation is required.
- San-serif typesetting.

Rating: 4/5

Pro-tip: Avoid the ebook or Kindle version if you want to get the most out of this workbook.

[Laura Ramsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

What an absolute crock of horseshittery. Just, no.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good content, but long winded and repetitive. The book is about twice as long as it needs to be.

[Adalina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the first 5 chapters on the kindle and can honestly say this is my favorite book on TMS theory. I ordered the paperback version and am looking forward to completing the step by step guide

[David Burns · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never have so many words been used to explain so little.

[Michelle Nebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

After suffering from ME/CFS for six years, I can confidently say that this is the one approach that has actually worked for me and healed me. By doing the pain and emotion reprocessing therapy described in this book, I have been able to identify my pain triggers and learn so much more about myself and how my brain has kept me in pain for so long. I’m not going to lie, the work was hard. It was challenging and there were a lot of tears shed as I uncovered buried and unprocessed emotions and traumatic events. But it was worth it. If you fully invest in the work, you WILL get better. I am certain of it.

[Joz Llp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dank aan Dr Schubiner om mij m'n laatste long covid puzzelstukje te geven 🙏🏼 Extreem interessant, eye-opening, & doelgericht.

'Pain' mag vervangen worden door allerlei symptomen waar geen fysieke oorzaak (meer) voor is, maar waarin het brein is blijven in vastzitten. Niet zeker? Het wordt heel eenvoudig en duidelijk uitgelegd. Wat ik geleerd heb uit dit boek zou basiskennis moeten zijn voor iedereen, waaronder zeeeeker alle huisartsen, want ik geloof dat veel mensen er baat bij zouden hebben, niet enkel mensen die zoveel klachten hadden als ik.

Zo simpel, niet-invasief en toch met zo'n impact. Epic. Daar kan onze gezondheidszorg nog van leren. Ik ben eindeloos dankbaar. ✨

[Barb Kelownagurl]

Just skimmed it and picked out the useful parts for me

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had much more of what I was looking for compared to when I read, “The Body Keeps the Score.” That book hardly dealt with physical pain at all like I thought it would, where as this one dealt almost entirely with physical pain.

I was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND for short). What this book deals with is referred to as Mind Body Syndrome (MBS), but they appear to be exactly the same. They are both conditions involving faulty neural circuitry formed in the brain that produce what is known as “functional” pain and neurological issues. Meaning that the pain is very real and uncontrollable, but it is not due to a disease or structural issue, it is due to faulty signals in the brain that can often be brought on by emotional or physical trauma.

This book stresses that these are conditions that are NOT “all in your head” but ARE coming from your brain. Just as all pain stems from the brain. You are not crazy. You are not making it up. Our brains cannot tell the difference between emotional and physical pain, and they will send us danger warning signals for either circumstance. Over time, the brain becomes rewired to send unneeded danger signals that result in painful symptoms.

Some functional disorders you may have heard of are things like fibromyalgia, IBS, FND, and chronic pain of any body part that has had any severe structural damage ruled out. This book lists a LOT more disorders as being part of MBS, which I don’t personally agree with them all (like I swear it was practically every medical disorder under the sun other than cancer, auto immune disease, or nerve damage), but I am willing to at least admit that any condition can be exacerbated by stress and could potentially lead to increased intensity due to misfiring signals, so while I was annoyed, the main take away is still the same.

I have read several books on how to retrain your brain to help with pain, and I definitely think this one seems the most promising. I am excited to dive into the many techniques and exercises.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has quite a few useful writing and thinking exercises, as well as guided meditations. The examples used show the variability of Mind Body Syndrome and how it can be addressed in treatment. A worthwhile read for practitioners, although it can be repetitive at times.

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone who has suffered from or worked with people who have chronic pain or illness. Groundbreaking would not be too strong a word to use.

[Roslyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 and a half to 4 stars, really. Hopefully a review to come.

[carlo santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Life changing.

Truly life changing and true! My pain is leaving!
Thank you so much! A must read for all who are in pain.

[Adreaunna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening!

Great intro into this type of therapy. It gives a good overview of how pain pathways work and a nice worksheet to determine if you suffer from this.

[Melissa Canter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Howard Schubiner for guiding me along the way in my work with others. This book is highly recommended for anyone with chronic pain.

[Taija Ventrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life-changing. Cannot reccomend highly enough!

[Sofia Balderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book about the Mind Body approach to healing pain. Lots of practical tips that work +online access to meditations.

[Adrian Klaphaak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in 2018 after 15 years of trying everything under the sun to heal my low back pain and sciatica that was mistakenly assigned to a herniated disk. I tried everything from psychic surgery in the Philippines to having a microdiscectomy and laminectomy spine surgery with a renown surgeon in the SF Bay Area. Nothing worked to heal my pain. The spine surgery made it considerable worse even though the follow up MRI looked perfect. That was unquestionable evidence that the pain was not due to an anatomical problem with my back. Finally, I found my way to Dr. John Sarno's books and then to the first version of Dr. Schubiner's book, Unlearn Your Pain. I followed Dr. Schubiner's method as described in both versions of Unlearn Your Pain. I found it to be more comprehensive, clearly described, and easier to follow to actually work through the underlying causes of the pain than any other book on Mind Body Pain. It worked. I have been pain free in my back since 2018. It feels miraculous after suffering with the pain for the previous 15 years.

I've spent nearly two decades seeking all kinds of treatments for chronic pain, including having back surgery, and nothing worked until I approached it from the mind body syndrome philosophy. I've read all the books on mind body pain and Dr. Schubiner's Unlearn Your Pain books were the ones that produced the life changing breakthrough I was so desperately searching for. I am grateful. Thank you Dr. Schubiner for your service and for giving me my life back.

[Lisanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlearn Your Pain was a real eye-opener to read. The book is very accessible, easy to follow, and the short chapters make it pleasant to get through. What I appreciated most was the depth of information and the many real-life client examples, which made the theory much easier to understand and apply.

The author comes across as very open-minded and clearly has a broad perspective on chronic pain and the mind-body connection. I also found the research he discusses, including his own studies, a valuable addition to the book.

The only downside for me was that at times the book felt quite repetitive and long-winded. The final part about mindfulness did not feel as strong or necessary to me, and I personally think the book could have been even better without that section.

Overall, it is an informative and thought-provoking book with a lot of useful insights, especially for anyone interested in chronic pain, neural circuits, and the deeper connection between the brain and the body.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who suffer from chronic pain in their lives, this book is exceptional. Dr. Schubiner goes into minute detail all the symptoms of what he calls Mind Body Syndrome and explains also in detail a practical 4 week (or longer depending on the person) plan that a person can work on to relieve themselves of their symptoms. At the end he talks about possibly having to go through the program more than once, and also how to resolve the times when the pain returns for no apparent reason. The last chapter are Frequently Asked Questions which included some really good responses. The book also provides additional resources. I wanted to read it through first before I started the program. Tomorrow will be my Day 1 of Week 1, and we'll see!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking up the torch from Dr. John Sarno, whose ideas on chronic pain were roundly scorned by the medical profession in the latter half of the 20th C, Dr. Schubiner gently and scientifically brings the subject into the 21st Century. As i neurologist I dealt with many people with chronic pain problems and was dismayed at how hard it was to help and how easy it was to get into trouble with our drugs and procedures, which weren’t very successful in the first place. Dr. Schubiner’s work is not only helpful but courageous in the medicalized world we inhabit.

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most challenging but rewarding book that I’ve ever read!
This book has literally changed my health outcomes & given me a whole new chapters of life that I never thought were attainable.
It is not for the faint of heart. It was a really challenging to look inwards and tough to pick at old wounds from difficult phases and events in your life. I’m so glad I have, as I’m now stronger & self assured than ever and more importantly I’ve conquered what I was told was a permanent health condition.

[Annica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book describes a lot of cases where people healed from chronic pain by understanding and overcoming the underlying event that caused the condition. Unfortunately it gives little clue to the reader how to achieve this without a qualified practitioner of which we don't have any in Australia anyway. The lack of practical advise is frustrating.

[Rosie Gearhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

My therapist asked me to read this. I’m cautiously hopeful and very curious to see if dealing with blocked emotions, using reverse psychology on myself, mindfulness meditation, writing unsent letters, kindness to self, Internal Family Systems dialogues, forgiveness, etc. will lessen or eliminate my symptoms.

(The ebook could use another round of editing. Lots of repetition and grammar errors.)

[Michelle Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve a loved one who suffered (suffers?) with chronic pain. After a zillion doctors, every test imaginable, a pain program set him on a better track—many of the approaches he learned are within this book. An illuminating read— highly recommend.

[Denise Hlavka · Rating 4 out of 5]

My newest addition to mindbody studies, this is a workbook AND educational tool.
Engrossing, and hopefully will prove as an additional aid for me going forward with mindbody work.