# self-taught stress management better?



## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

this is an interesting study that shows that self-taught stress management is better than being taught by experts. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/200...a-ssm070802.php tom


----------



## LML (Jul 17, 2001)

TomAn interesting report. It doesn't surprise me that the "self-taught" group did better than the others. It's often the case that poeple do better when they invest themselves in ownership of their situation, i.e. accept and take charge of their care in many different situations. Often people who don't want to think about or deal with their problem, but just want a doctor to give them a pill and have it go away, don't do as well as they might if they took an active part in accepting and learning and therefore become more motivated toward self healing.I think this applies to particularly well in IBS.


----------



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

I agree with LML, when you activately take control and learn on your own why your doing something, it for one makes more sense, but also that your actively participating in your own health and treatment. I agree a lot with what LML said here.Tom, thanks for posting the article.


----------



## LML (Jul 17, 2001)

This is kinda related ... I think, even though it sounds contradictory.One of the first things that jumped out at me when starting Mike's tapes was the way he said "the IBS" rather than your IBS. Since I was already committed to using the tapes to help myself, I loved that he refered to IBS this way rather than "my IBS" or "your IBS". I already owned my problem, but refering to the IBS this way made it an issue separate from my self. Therefore, it was something to learn how to deal with, improve, and hopefully conquer and NOT my identity.He's a good man, and a smart one, too!!Linda


----------



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Linda, he has put a lot of years and work into the tapes and into the thought processes of IBS.So yes this is true, it should not be our identity, but a chronic condition to understand and work on managing. Accepting you have it and the need to deal with it, is different then saying I own this and its my indentity and it will never get better or go away. IBS is a condition we have and should not define us and who we really are and how we think. The accepting part is a challenge for sure, since the way its diagnosed and the worry its something else in itself can cause symptoms. I see a lot of people who have it under control just in the way they think about it and I see some others where IBS completely rules there existence (I use to be that way for sure and was caught in the vicious cycle) and this is where education, doctor patient and self education and self help is crucial to treatment."He's a good man, and a smart one, too!!"I concur completely. And that is the reason I do his websites and started this years ago, he helped me tremendously, more then most people reading the bb may ever know and I knew he could help a big percentage of others and know I have seen this also, that this was not some MLM product, but something (hypnotherapy) that had some major solid research to it in regards to IBS. He is also a pioneer.


----------



## trbell (Nov 1, 2000)

the article i posted to start this thread really had nothing to do with Mike's tapes, but i think he would agree that hypnosis is a self-taught program since hypnosis is basically a learned ability contrary to the old Mesmer popular idea.tom


----------



## carolauren (Mar 14, 2002)

Good article, Tom. I would have expected that the self-taught patients might do as well, but discovering that they did better is interesting.


----------



## PeacefulHart (Jun 26, 2002)

Self-taught stress management is empowering. There is no substitute. Unfortunately, not everyone is ready for that. It takes time to cultivate confidence.


----------

