(This story was originally posted here.  For a much more comprehensive list of success stories, visit the TMSwiki for hundreds of success stories for numerous conditions).

I felt like many of you for years. At 18 years old I suffered from a miserable family life, and suddenly developed back pain. Insane fall-on-the-ground pain. I thought I had inherited my fathers ‘bad back’. In fact I had been told by my unstable mother that I had.
This went on for my last year of high school, interfering in my athletics, but I still managed 4 varsity letters before graduating. More importantly, I learned to be a ferocious competitor, and to believe I can excel in the most difficult situations.

At this point in my life I was an athlete, but it hurt.

I went away to college, which was very confusing for me, and went out for the Cross country team (long distance running)I had big potential, I was on the best team in our league, and I could be one of the best.

Then the TMS kicked in, in my right IT band. I couldn’t run. The trainers worked on it for two weeks, using ultrasound (I think)and it was fine. The next day my LEFT IT band was killing me. Classic TMS. My injury was gone so I needed a new on. I quit the team.
Later I would conclude that this symetric injury symptom was the best indicator of TMS.

For four years I went to college, with limited physical activity. Some days I couldn’t get out of bed. 21 years old and I couldn’t get out of bed. Total lunacy. I had pain everywhere, every tendon, back, hips (bad) upperback. It sucked. I spent every spare moment (every day) studying massage techniques and trying to heal myself. I never gave up. But I suffered alot and will never forget it.

I had suffered for about 6 years, but I was determined and tough. I had been dealt many bad cards in life but I was going to win.
I had won some really hard races, come from behind countless times.

I heard Howard Stern mention Sarno on the radio. I bought the book that day.
I read the book straight through and got very angry.

This is where you come in.

Sarno says you are angry. I was. I bet we both have really good reasons. There is a part of our personalities that is enraged.
I’ve been hit, hurt, lied to, betrayed, left alone, tricked, insulted, degraded. We all have in some way, we can’t change it but being a victim is a choice.

Don’t try to ‘undo’ or ‘let go’ the anger. Not yet. Embrace it. In fact, you need it to win.

Beating TMS is YOUR race, you need to decide, BEFORE the race that you are going to win. NOt see how it goes, not ‘do your best’.
That plan has failed you if you’re here. Take all of the anger, identify your opponent, and kill it.

Punch TMS right in it’s face.

Unless you stop being the ‘coper’ and victim, nothings going to change. Look in the mirror. You have the cure to all your pain, right
here, handed to you by Dr. Sarno. Are you really so helpless that your aren’t going to reach out and take it? Do you really ‘need’ the injury, like I did when my right leg was suddenly fine and then the left hurt?

Talk to your brain. Yell at it.

Hate TMS. Kill TMS. Stop ‘coping’ and hiding your natural human emotions. Direct them at TMS. Stop being it’s pathetic victim.
Don’t have sympathy for yourself. YOU are doing this. Hate the part of you that is failing you so much.
If you feel ashamed that you are the cause, good. Stop making everyone think you are suffering, stop making your family worry about you.

I was never afraid to really hate the part of me that was so counter-productive. I accepted my mistake, forgave myself, and fixed it.

This is what worked for me. For the record, (not to sound rude) I’m not interested in others assesment in my tactics. Use it or don’t.
I have introduced Sarno to others and changed their lives.

“The important thing is this: to be able to sacrifice at any moment what we are for what we could become.” Chinese Proverb

The End.

I’m now a healthy muscular 27 year old. I’ve made quite a mental and physical transformation. If you have any questions, I’ll answer them, I may sound somewhat harsh in my story but I’m not a jerk.