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The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain

John E. Sarno

4.03 · Rating details · 1,833 ratings · 171 reviews

Dr. John Sarno caused quite a ruckus back in 1990 when he suggested that back pain is all in the head. In his bestselling book, Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, he claimed that backaches, slipped discs, headaches, and other chronic pains are due to suppressed anger, and that once the cause of the anger is addressed, the pain will vanish. Relieved Amazon.com rea Dr. John Sarno caused quite a ruckus back in 1990 when he suggested that back pain is all in the head. In his bestselling book, Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection, he claimed that backaches, slipped discs, headaches, and other chronic pains are due to suppressed anger, and that once the cause of the anger is addressed, the pain will vanish. Relieved Amazon.com readers call this book "liberating" and say "it sounds too good to be true, but it is true." Sarno has returned with The Mindbody Prescription, in which he explains how emotions including guilt, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem can stimulate the brain to manufacture physical symptoms including fibromyalgia, repetitive strain injuries, migraine headaches, hay fever, colitis, ulcers, and even acne. If these psychosomatic problems all sound a little Freudian, what with the repression of emotions in the unconscious, it's because Sarno unapologetically borrows from Freud for the basis of his theory and cites childhood trauma as a major source of emotional problems. He also says that his program is a "talking cure" of sorts, since patients must be convinced their pain is rooted in their emotions before healing can begin.

The book reads a bit like psychology text, with Sarno quoting from psychoanalytic theorists including Heinz Kohut and Graeme Taylor and the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition). Sarno walks through the neurophysiology of mindbody disorders, lists the symptoms of dozens of disorders that he believes are emotion-based, and offers a basic program for overcoming psychosomatic pain and illness. His recovery plan includes meditation and sometimes psychotherapy, including behavior modification, and stopping any medication or physical therapy. While Sarno's ideas seem radical, they were commonly implemented earlier in the 20th century, when psychoanalysis was at its peak of popularity, and they promise to become more accepted in our current era of alternative medical therapies and anger management. --Erica Jorgensen

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Published (first published April 1st 1998)

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Jun 18, 2012 Mark Dickson rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Let me preface this review with the fact that the rating doesn't apply to Sarno's theory--that many physical ailments have mental causes--but rather to the book itself--to its execution. I feel like I could have gotten everything I needed from this book in the first chapter alone; the rest fel like overwrought redundancy, Sarno laundry-listing all of the ailments that are maybe/possibly/definitely rooted in mental causes.

I should preface this doubly with the suggestion that this may, in fact, bu ...more

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Mar 22, 2016 Yelda Basar Moers rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: health-wellness

Truly an amazing, life-altering read!! Within 24 hours of reading this book my leg pain disappeared! Dr. Sarno believes that back and leg pain can be due to repressed emotions that turn to an interior rage that then become masked as pain. Confronting the mind with this awareness can break the cycle, or so he explains in his brilliant book!

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Aug 08, 2012 Aleksander Skjæveland Larsen rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

This book is utter nonsense. In the book, the author complains his paper was rejected 7 times from different scientific publications. It
is my suspicion this was due to serious scientific mistakes, as the
book shows the author does not master this skill.

At one point he finds it incredible that occurrence of RSI was increased by 467% between 1989 and 1994. I fail to see why this is problematic; use of home computers exploded in this period. You would expect people spending too much time at the keyb ...more

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Jan 22, 2015 Stefan Kanev added it · review of another edition

I'm reluctant to rate this book. It sounds very convincing and both the symptoms and history of my RSI issues fit the narrative perfectly, but I feel I should give it a fair shot before having an opinion.

It's basically a very simple idea. A lot of chronic pain problems, (usually related with the back and the upper body) are caused by stress-induced tension, as opposed to serious structural anomalies/deviations/problems. Thus, treatment should be focus on psychological issues and not on physical ...more

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Jan 03, 2012 Stephane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Stephane by: Heard about on Rosie Radio

Shelves: favorites

A life changing read! This book truly connects the dots between the mind and the body. It shines a spotlight on the impact emotional stress can have on the physical body. I suffered from back pain for many years prior to reading this book. That pain is now gone and when I feel it starting to return, I now know it is a sign that I need to deal with emotional stress. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who suffers from chronic pain.

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Mar 04, 2013 Paul Lyons rated it really liked it · review of another edition

TMS: Tension Myositis Syndrome is relatively new term that few doctors are aware of, or want to be aware of. Thankfully Dr. John E. Sarno has brought this fascinating, frustrating mysterious condition to light. Dr. Sarno's 1998 book "The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain" functions in a very special manner, in that educates and heals at the very same time. It's value goes beyond traditional study of what makes a book good or bad, in that it is the equivalent of medicine v TMS: Tension Myositis Syndrome is relatively new term that few doctors are aware of, or want to be aware of. Thankfully Dr. John E. Sarno has brought this fascinating, frustrating mysterious condition to light. Dr. Sarno's 1998 book "The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain" functions in a very special manner, in that educates and heals at the very same time. It's value goes beyond traditional study of what makes a book good or bad, in that it is the equivalent of medicine via paper.

Dr. Sarno's theory, which has been proven as fact after years of practice and analysis, is that a fair majority of our traditional physical ailments are the result of a function of the brain, Each individual has both a conscious and unconscious mind. The conscious mind helps us observe, think, remember, see, feel, hear, touch and rationalize. The unconscious mind, however, is purely narcissistic, and completely irrational. What happens with TMS is that the trials and tribulations of life since childhood creates rage, stress, and extreme emotion in the unconscious, whether we realize it or not. Everyone has it due to the complexity of the psyche verses the selfish, irrational self hidden in the unconscious. It is this unconscious rage that triggers the brain to protect you from letting it all out. As a defense mechanism, the brain sends a signal to deprive oxygen from a certain part of the body, reducing the blood flow and this creating pain in affected area. The pain is real, yet it also serves its function as a distraction from the unconscious rage. That is the whole point of pain: to get your mind focused on your body instead of what's really happening inside your mind. In essence, pain is a trick of the brain.

Common TMS maladies include back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive use injury, leg and shoulder issues, foot problems, ulcers, headaches, stomach-gastrointestinal problems, arthritis, and even auto-immune issues, and possibly cancer. Dr. Sarno is quick point out what TMS is, and what it is not, and that a self-diagnsosis of TMS (in general) should only be done after first consulting with a traditional doctor to make sure nothing is life-theaating. That said, traditional medicine too often misdiagnosis an issue without first examining the cause.

Dr . Sarno raises a fascinating, too-overlooked point: we, as humans, have not survived all of these thousands of years on Earth because we are weaklings. If our bodies were as fragile as current fashionable medicine proclaims, humanity would have died out years ago. Carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, was not identified as a problem until the last 20-30 years, and it is the current awareness of it that inadvertently creates the problem in the first place.

Reading "The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain," Dr. Sarno lectures on the same subject over and over again, in a variety of examples, covering the technical biological conditions and TMS symptoms in just about every part of the body, however the point is always the same: TMS is a practice of distracting your from unconscious rage, and that education and awareness can work wonders in healing and providing a permanent cure. However, as Dr. Sarno deftly points out, it takes some time and work to make the healing-cure happen, and each person has a different depth of unconscious rage to contend with. Some are cured just by reading the book, or attending a TMS lecture or two, others should get help with their unconscious rage through a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. No matter what the case, it all comes down to an individual learning about TMS, and buying into it one hundred percent.

"The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain" is not for pleasure-reading, nor is it meant to enthrall the reader with wonder. Instead, Dr. Sarno's book exists as an important tool for many of those who suffer chronic pain, and offers a solution that will change the way you look at both your body and your mind.

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Jan 02, 2015 Dustin Davis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I have the audio book. I listened to it all once through and started getting immediate relief to 10 years worth of RSI in my wrists. The pain then moved to my upper back as the book said to expect. Then to my lower back. After a month the pain finally went away. It sprang up again number times over the next couple of years. Every time it did I would listen to chapter 9 on my train ride commutes.

Also, I have herniated my L5-S1 disc twice. It is ruptured. My neurosurgeon is amazed from my MRIs tha ...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Nancy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

amazing book for dealing with physical pain. Could not walk on my leg, had all tests done, was babying it. Book suggested to address it as caused by hidden rage - I did - leg's all better. WOW.

If you have migraines, aches and pains, shooting pain in arms, hands related to use of computers (carpel tunnel)...READ it....IF you are willing to accept the idea that - if tests have been done and there is no physical cause of the pain to be found - that the pain is cased by your brain.

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Feb 15, 2017 Jane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: self-help, mental-health, nonfiction

The message that he is trying to give is that your brain is causing pain in your body due to repressed emotions and your pain will go away by understanding this. For this information, I offer 5 stars. The delivery of the information could be better though. It's not a very captivating read but if you're suffering from any kind of chronic pain, the readability of the book is certainly the least of your concerns.

If you have any kind of pain such as back pain, neck pain, knee pain or migraines (or The message that he is trying to give is that your brain is causing pain in your body due to repressed emotions and your pain will go away by understanding this. For this information, I offer 5 stars. The delivery of the information could be better though. It's not a very captivating read but if you're suffering from any kind of chronic pain, the readability of the book is certainly the least of your concerns.

If you have any kind of pain such as back pain, neck pain, knee pain or migraines (or almost any pain) you must read this book! You'll be happy to know that he is not saying that the pain is imaginary or that you're faking it. The pain is absolutely real. It creates pain the same way your brain can give you a stomach ache when you're anxious.

I totally believe in the power of the brain. I know of people who have had pain disappear from reading this book. Years ago I had stomach problems which on hindsight I am certain were brain induced. I've also experienced vertigo but I was suspicious that my brain was experimenting with attempts at distracting me and it quickly disappeared. Even before reading this book, I had heard about Dr. Sarno and his books so I was fortunate to know this and it probably saved me from other unnecessary pain.

A lot of the book is an explanation of all of the ways the body can be effected by your brain. On the one hand, I found this rather boring and disappointing that this was such a big portion of the book. On the other hand, I realize that this is exactly what we need to know. If I ever experience symptoms in any of these areas I will be able to nip it in the bud. If he didn't cover all of these ailments, my brain would be able to find a new way to distract me without making me suspicious. In fact, before reading this book I thought I was developing arthritis. I had pain in my hands and I didn't know that this was one of the places that the brain creates pain. Now that I know, the pain is gone.

In general I am a big skeptic about most things but in this case it all rings true for me. I don't have a problem with the lack of science to prove his theory. To me, the fact that it works for so many people is proof enough. I appreciate that he acknowledges that there are parts of the brain that no one understands. Just because we don't know exactly how it happens doesn't mean the solution doesn't work.

The only other thing that I wish he addressed is what the brain does with the repressed emotions once you have successfully stopped it from creating pain. Personally, I do transcendental meditation twice a day which I believe serves as a release but I wonder what others do. ...more

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Nov 13, 2013 Travis Callender rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: primary-care-psychotherapy-intersec, 7-non-fiction-read, sh-psychotherapy, medicine, integrative-medicine

Theory of Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS)
The unconscious mind may avoid dealing with painful emotions of rage, sadness, shame, etc. through causing a pain syndrome in the body, thereby distracting the conscious mind’s attention to the physical pain rather than the emotional pain. The mind achieves this through constricting blood vessels and causing local anoxia/ischemia. The areas most typically effected are the postural muscles, tendons and nerves (e.g. back pain, neck pain, sciatica); but red Theory of Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS)
The unconscious mind may avoid dealing with painful emotions of rage, sadness, shame, etc. through causing a pain syndrome in the body, thereby distracting the conscious mind’s attention to the physical pain rather than the emotional pain. The mind achieves this through constricting blood vessels and causing local anoxia/ischemia. The areas most typically effected are the postural muscles, tendons and nerves (e.g. back pain, neck pain, sciatica); but reduced blood flow may potentially impact many other areas also. The unconscious mind will often choose to create the pain where there has been a physical alteration from aging or previous physical injuries.

Amongst other things, John Sarno says unconscious pain often develops from low self-esteem: Deeply repressed feelings of inadequacy and self doubt lead to perfectionism, and goodism. Perfectionism and goodism lead to excessive self-imposed pressure which generates internal conflict and thereby rage.

Perfectionists unconsciously set up standards for themselves they cannot possibly meet; their inevitable failure to live up to them results in unconscious shame and rage.

Goodism (co-dependency) is the need to be excessively good. Driven to be helpful, to ingratiate, to want everyone to like them. Rage is generated when the individual excessively sacrifices what is good for them in the interest of others; when there is not enough appreciation from others for what they have given.

John Sarno’s Protocol for the Treatment of Tension Myositis Syndrome
1. Repudiate the structural diagnosis (e.g. the idea that your back pain is “caused by spinal stenosis” or “a herniated disk”). There may be a simultaneous physical phenomenon but if you have Tension Myositis Syndrome, then the pain is not caused by it.
2. Acknowledge the psychological basis of the pain.
3. Accept that it is ok that your psychology and beliefs are the way they are.
4. When you feel the physical pain, ask yourself what you are feeling emotionally. Get in touch with your rage, grief, shame, etc..
5. Write a list of all the pressures in your life. Acknowledge these and take action to reduce them.
6. Set aside a daily session of reflection or meditation.
7. Engage in psychotherapy.
8. Re-engage in full physical activity (that you may have limited because of your pain syndrome).
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Feb 12, 2016 David Tybor rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This book provides many nice examples of logical fallacies.

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Jan 28, 2020 Roslyn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Although great strides have been made in neuroscience and mindbody understanding since this was written, I still think this stands as the pioneering work it was and still is.

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Oct 17, 2013 Erika rated it it was ok · review of another edition

If you are new to mindbody principles, it is good, if you are not, it is basic and obvious. So my rating would vary depending on who picked it up...
maybe it would convince some new comers to this now widely accepted fact, that the mind affects the body for real and not just in the old understanding of- in the 'psychosomatic' sense. But if you have already read things like Damasio, Alexander, 'When the Body Says No' or any contemporary neuroscience, don't bother. BUT if you want to recommend a bo ...more

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Apr 01, 2018 Molly McCowan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I came across this book in an RSI (repetitive strain injuries) forum.

I turned to the forum for help when I started to notice-- after months of physical therapy and massage to help with intense pain and nerve problems in my arms and hands--that my upper-body symptoms kept "jumping around." One week it would be numbness in my hands. The next week, stabbing neck pain and headaches. The next, weak and burning forearms.

My medical massage therapist consistently couldn't find anything physical (extre I came across this book in an RSI (repetitive strain injuries) forum.

I turned to the forum for help when I started to notice-- after months of physical therapy and massage to help with intense pain and nerve problems in my arms and hands--that my upper-body symptoms kept "jumping around." One week it would be numbness in my hands. The next week, stabbing neck pain and headaches. The next, weak and burning forearms.

My medical massage therapist consistently couldn't find anything physical (extreme tension or knots, etc.) that would cause this, and suggested that the remaining pain could be emotional in nature.

That led me to Louise Hay, whose affirmations helped me get rid of intense bicep pain. But the rest of my arm and hand pain, while drastically improved, still refused to go away. I grew afraid of my computer, since (logically), I thought my "injuries" were from too many hours of typing and using the computer mouse.

Sarno's ideas and clinical research, along with his anecdotes of patients who were able to completely rid themselves of RSI-related pain, really struck a chord with me.

Even though I'm just starting out with Sarno's recommendations, now, when I experience pain, I try to think of what emotions/situations could be causing it (stress, rage, feeling pressured or obligated, etc.). This has caused an immediate drop in my pain levels, and sometimes the pain goes away completely for days.

A few days ago, for example, my hands suddenly felt lke they were on fire (this is how they felt at their very worst, months ago). It triggered fearful and anxious thoughts like, "Oh no, what if they're going to be like this for weeks again?"

After a few hours of being in pain, I suddenly shifted my mindset to one of calm, thoughtful inquiry. I asked myself, "What triggered this today?"

I suddenly realized that I was feeling trapped, obligated to do something I really didn't want to do. This caused rage and resentment that I, in my quest to be a nice person, hadn't recognized. The minute I recognized this, my hands started to feel better. Within 30 minutes, my pain level went from a 7 to a 0.

Now, Sarno is careful to repeat the fact that the mind can cause actual, physical pain by restricting oxygen and blood flow to muscles and tendons. It isn't "made up." We blush when we're embarrassed, and our hearts race when we're nervous. These are direct, physical responses to emotions, and we can't control them. It's the same concept with this type of pain.

I'm looking forward to using this method to put a permanent end to my RSI pain. ...more

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Dec 11, 2018 Morgan Forrest rated it really liked it · review of another edition

If you suffer from chronic pain I highly reccommend it. Combined with the Curable app the two have halfed my pain levels.

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Jun 14, 2018 Kate L rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018

the book itself is an outdated bore (lots of freud) but there are a couple solid ideas within it i will try.

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Feb 24, 2018 Lori rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really liked this book and I appreciate the depths that Sarno goes into when discussing his theory. And I do think he provides a good starting place for dealing with pain that results from repressed emotions. However, I’m not sure I am entirely on board with all of the disorders he lists being solely about repressed emotions. Partly I think that is because this book is more than a decade old. That being said, I think some soul searching can help a person figure out if any of their pain is rela ...more

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Jun 24, 2016 Autumn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

I'm currently trying to solve an RSI issue. I had previously read It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!: RSI Theory and Therapy for Computer Professionals. Funnily enough, that book mentions Dr. Sarno's The Mindbody Prescription, but dismisses it because the authors take offense at the idea that it might be all in your head. And then I read a blog article in which the author took issue with It's Not Carpal Tunnel because the authors claim that RSI is a lifelong problem that can only be managed. The b I'm currently trying to solve an RSI issue. I had previously read It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!: RSI Theory and Therapy for Computer Professionals. Funnily enough, that book mentions Dr. Sarno's The Mindbody Prescription, but dismisses it because the authors take offense at the idea that it might be all in your head. And then I read a blog article in which the author took issue with It's Not Carpal Tunnel because the authors claim that RSI is a lifelong problem that can only be managed. The blogger said that he hasn't had a problem with RSI since reading The Mindbody Prescription.

Now, on first reading the blog article and the synopsis of The Mindbody Prescription, my gut reaction was, "That won't apply to me. I'm the most emotionally stable person I know." But lo and behold, after the seed was planted, I started to realize just how much anxiety I was holding in. Sarno describes me to a T - I recognize that I have perfectionist tendencies, and I'm a goodist all the way. [Aside: one side of my family has auto-immune disorders in abundance; we might be a high-strung sort of family.] He also describes my physical problems as if we've talked. Every health professional I've discussed my problem with has given me a skeptical sort of look at the range of problems I've been experiencing, saying things like, "Well, it could be this, but that's usually only experienced in such and such a way." Or, "It's weird that..." So it was kind of nice to receive a certain sort of validation.

Other than my initial reaction, it hasn't been much of a leap for me to believe that my physical problems might stem from emotional distress. The body is a complex organism, and I'm aware of many scientific studies that have shown how much of an impact the mind can have on physical outcomes. Also, given that I am physically fit and have been following the advice for treating RSI and have seen therapists to help me deal with my physical issues, after a couple of months of not seeing improvement except for temporarily, it seems fairly obvious to me that something else is at play here.

So I'm trying Dr. Sarno's strategy. I've experienced some short-term relief, but I wouldn't call myself cured yet. I'll stick with it for a while before looking for the next fix, but I hold out hope that this will do it for me. ...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Jennifer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: alternative-healing, mind-body, gupta

4 stars is pending results in 2 months
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I've seen this recommended by so many people; he also has a book strictly on back pain. Found it today for $1 at Half Price Books. I've heard so many testimonials about the roots and cures of back pain, which are backed up by what both MDs and DVMs know but don't understand... that the severity of radiological lesions in no way correlates with the severity of clinical pain in spinal disorders. Add to that the mysteries of the related pain syn ...more

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Jun 09, 2008 Melisa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone

A life changer because it changed the way I view physical aches and pains. I mean the little aches and the excruciating pains: back pain, stomach aches, searing headaches, lingering pain from physical injuries. Get this: we find it easier to handle physical pain then sit with fear, sadness, grief. Yup, it's true. Only way to find out is use/follow the book to bring yourself some relief from what ails you.

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May 13, 2009 Ruth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Dr. Sarno totally has my number. I dip into this book or one of his other offerings therapeutically whenever I start to get an ominous twinge or ache. Good to have on hand right next to your Merck Manual.

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Apr 06, 2011 Megan Cardon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone that has any type of pain

Recommended to Megan by: My doctor

I have all sorts of pains in my body that are pretty much unexplained, including chronic headaches. This book has helped me deal with these pains. I suggest this book to anyone who has issues with pain. It is one of those things that might not work for everyone but I say it is worth a try.

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Apr 30, 2013 Lavonne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Dr. Sarno explains how the brain uses pain in the body by finding weaknesses to distract us from emotional pain. Very good at helping us see how the mind and body are connected. Highly recommend to anyone experience pain.

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Mar 19, 2017 Todd Brelsford rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Review about the book, not the TMS theory it covers. Book is VERY repetitive. There is probably only about 50 pages of useful info. The other pages are all rehashes of the useful 50, or stories about people he diagnosed with TMS.

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Aug 15, 2017 Risa Fey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Words cannot express how much this book has somehow effected/contributed to/verified/debunked/destroyed everything I know and believe. There is more to think about and consider than just what is presented by Dr. Sarno. Can I give it 10/5 stars?

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Apr 17, 2010 Tasha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book will blow your mind if you have any chronic pain syndromes. Migraines, Fibromyalgia, depression, anything. This man is genius!

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Mar 30, 2013 Heather Bradley rated it it was ok · review of another edition

The thinking behind this is solid - I'm sold, but the writing? Meh. Only need to read the first 2 chapters and the last portion, but if it cures the pain ...

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Dec 18, 2018 Dan rated it liked it · review of another edition

It's tough to decide on a rating for this book because although I haven't completely bought in to Dr. Sarno's theory I do believe in many aspects of what he says. Also, the book was very repetitive and very dry, but I don't hold that against Dr. Sarno because he's trying to inform, not entertain. My interest in reading this book is because I have ulcerative colitis, which is one of the conditions that Dr. Sarno attributes to his theory of TMS. I want to believe that his theory is correct, but I It's tough to decide on a rating for this book because although I haven't completely bought in to Dr. Sarno's theory I do believe in many aspects of what he says. Also, the book was very repetitive and very dry, but I don't hold that against Dr. Sarno because he's trying to inform, not entertain. My interest in reading this book is because I have ulcerative colitis, which is one of the conditions that Dr. Sarno attributes to his theory of TMS. I want to believe that his theory is correct, but I can't say for sure until I give it a try.

What I understand from Dr. Sarno's theory is that many, if not most, of the chronic aches and pains that we have are a result of our brains trying to focus our attention on our bodies rather than our subconscious rage. The mind has decided that it would rather deal with physical pain instead of mental torment so it decreases blood flow to certain areas in our body that creates pain. Throughout our lives we accumulate subconscious rage that creates a lot of stress in our bodies, which results in physical pain. He started out his career by just saying that it was the cause for the back pain epidemic but as he got older he started attributing it to a whole host of other conditions, including GI disorders and even in some cases, cancer. The rage he describes can come from countless places but some of his ideas are that people with certain personality types (perfectionists, do-gooders) are more likely to suffer from TMS than others. He says that "perfectionism is the predominant personality characteristic" in most of his patients.

Dr. Sarno's treatment for TMS is very simple. The patient needs to understand that his pain comes from the mind and believe it. The patient should talk to his mind and tell it that he knows what's going on and to stop it. He is very clear to say that we can't change our personalities to avoid accumulating rage, but the knowledge that the rage is causing our pain is enough to make it go away. He believes that doctors have been making our pain problems worse by neglecting to talk about the mind, pushing drugs and surgery, and telling patients to rest rather than be active.

I am aware how hokey all of this sounds but after my experience with two poorly done ankle surgeries that had to be fixed by a different surgeon, a flu shot that resulted in a case of brachial neuritis, and my GI doctor who seems genuinely clueless I have developed somewhat of a skeptical attitude toward the medical field. I believe that doctors do many amazing things and for the most part I trust them, but I also firmly believe that there are still innumerable things that they don't know and will never know. Not knowing is fine, but what bothers me is the occasional attitude that medical professionals are god and that their word is law. As I said, I do not fully believe all of Dr. Sarno's theory, but to me it seems obvious that the mind must play a big role in physical pain.

Here is a recent article that talks about how many of Sarno's beliefs are just barely starting to be accepted by the mainstream: https://www.vox.com/science-and-healt...

I'll summarize by saying that many of Sarno's ideas sound very plausible to me, some are not believable at all, but that this book could be of help to many people who have tried everything else. ...more

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Jan 25, 2020 Jasmine rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, psychology, health, non-fic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Right Idea, Wrong Premise

Dry, Self-congratulatory, self-indulgent, incredibly close-minded, and obsessed with lists. His conclusion from 3 decades of clinical experience is that around 90% of physical maladies are caused by the Entity that is The Brain maliciously and manipulatively attacking the body to distract us from the deep, suppressed rage it harbors and is determined to hold onto. We can then cure these maladies by being aware of the brain's diabolical (his favorite word, apparently) sc Right Idea, Wrong Premise

Dry, Self-congratulatory, self-indulgent, incredibly close-minded, and obsessed with lists. His conclusion from 3 decades of clinical experience is that around 90% of physical maladies are caused by the Entity that is The Brain maliciously and manipulatively attacking the body to distract us from the deep, suppressed rage it harbors and is determined to hold onto. We can then cure these maladies by being aware of the brain's diabolical (his favorite word, apparently) scheme and calling it out and, in many cases, attacking it right back. He barely acknowledges the existence of other emotions and insists that childish rage can be the only cause for chronic and ongoing pain. Setting the brain up as a separate--and malicious--entity can only worsen the mind-body disconnect, which he observes in his patients as the brain lashing out and moving the pain to other sites. If a child acts out (which he consistently uses as his metaphor for the id and its temper tantrums resulting in physical pain), the solution is not to scream at the child and lock him in his room. The child is not trying to manipulate you and distract you from his suppressed rage; he is trying to express himself and get help for emotions he doesn't understand. You need to acknowledge him and listen to him and help him understand and process what he is feeling. Punishing him for having feelings will certainly lead to rage and violence--which then proves Sarno's theory--and locking the child away does provide a "quick fix," but it's not the most effective or healthiest way to deal with the situation. I can see how his method had results: understanding and acknowledging that stress and repressed emotions can lead to physical symptoms is the first step in addressing them. I'm sure many of his patients found their own ways to address the problem and realized there was more to it than just childish rage, which would also have contributed to his positive results. He is strongly influenced by Freud and clearly a man raised in an era where anger was the only acceptable response to any unpleasantness in life. I hope he has since found a more open and positive way to address his inner child.

At the time this book was published, there were far fewer resources for and far less research on addressing the mindbody connection and psychosomatic ailments, so his research and this book were a valuable contribution to physical and mental health, but now we have a better understanding and considerably more options. I would only recommend reading this book if you are interested in the earlier research of the field or looking to read everything that's out there on the subject (my personal motivation).

If you're looking for ways to deal with chronic stress or chronic, unexplained pain, I highly recommend:

Emily Nagoski's "Burnout;" she talks about how to address emotions in a healthy way so they don't manifest as physical problems and how to manage stress in the modern world.

And Tim Parks' "Teach Us to Sit Still," in which he chronicles his decades struggling with chronic pain and how he finally found relief by accepting the pain and healing the connection between mind and body through breathwork and meditation. ...more

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Jun 23, 2018 Taylor rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Pretty radical and amazing theory: Much pain we experience, especially those that can't seem to be accounted for and that are very conditionally (only when XYZ! or always when ABC!) is actually the brain's strategy to distract your conscious mind from repressed emotions. Whether that works by the brain sending signals to deprive oxygen to certain muscles (and often those socially accepted as problematic, like chronic back pack for example nowadays, heartburn before, and ulcers a few decades back Pretty radical and amazing theory: Much pain we experience, especially those that can't seem to be accounted for and that are very conditionally (only when XYZ! or always when ABC!) is actually the brain's strategy to distract your conscious mind from repressed emotions. Whether that works by the brain sending signals to deprive oxygen to certain muscles (and often those socially accepted as problematic, like chronic back pack for example nowadays, heartburn before, and ulcers a few decades back) or by some other method - the result is that you are very focussed on your body's experience vs. actually confronting and unconscious rage or sorrow.

Often, being aware of the strategy itself is enough to counter the pain. I picked this up for achey-computer-hand/wrist/arm. The author details in depth many other afflictions he's seen as a manifestation of this, and gives several stories of his patient's particular experiences. Recurrence is also a thing, wherein the pain in one area disappears then the brain picks another area to manifest. Funny enough, while reading this, my wrist pain did mostly disappear and then soon after I had a bout of vertigo (which i've never had in my life), all this right after a painful-ex-boyfriend surprisingly recontacted me (and I was purposefully trying not to deal with it!).

He lists some strategies to address it, mainly acknowledging it, confronting it and taking away it's power, and making time to deal with your emotional undercurrents on a daily basis. The book contains a lot of strongly articulated cases for people taking their mental and emotional health as seriously as their physical health.

I loved his theory flipping placebos on their heads: While some may say his theory is a placebo - he argues that the conventionally used explanations, therapies, surgeries are the actual placebo (and infact a 'nocebo', makes you feel WORSE! at first) - 'confirming' for you something is wrong with you (while the 'things' they find may in fact just be natural parts of an aging body, like herniated discs and torn rotator cuffs), giving credence to your brain and making it worse, then after (expensive and hard!) treatment, may be persist anyway, or may be 'cured' but now your knee or something else starts acting up as the brain finds a new target.

Worth a read and serious consideration if you have any pain at all, knowledge is power.
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About John E. Sarno

John E. Sarno

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John E. Sarno, MD was Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at the New York University School of Medicine. He graduated from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and was board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Sarno served in the U.S. Army Medical Department, 67th Field Hospital-European Theater from 1943 to 1946. He practiced as a family physician for ten yea ...more

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“You begin to wonder whether you have lived a full life. And, strange as it may seem, strong negative feelings about your mother or father have not gone away; instead, they continue to be repressed and may give rise to symptoms.” — 0 likes

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