Unlearn Your Pain, fourth edition

by MD Howard Schubiner

The fourth edition of Unlearn Your Pain contains substantial revisions. It offers cutting edge scientific information on the mind body connection and a complete guided program for recovery from mind body syndromes. Access to online audio meditation exercises is included with purchase.

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

358 pages, Perfect Paperback

Published January 1, 2022

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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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

[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.

[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. ✨

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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.)

[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.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, but I’d read this instead: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Lol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lifesaver, at least it was for me.
just don't make my mistake and buy an actual physical copy.

[Azra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes. Everything you need to know about TMS very well explained with clear exercises.

[Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Fantastic exercises. Highly recommended.

[Mewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ow my god

[Iona Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to finish this book, but I found it extremely promising.

The author is a pioneer in the field of mind body medicine.

You have an awful pain but your doctor suggests that it is all in your head. The author is here to tell us that your pain is real: there’s a reason for it and a cure.

You’re hurting because of “overly sensitized nerve connections between the brain and the body”.

You can tell your brain to unlearn the pain.

The author has healed his own pain with this method and seen the same transformation in hundreds of his patients.

The best way to end chronic pain is by retraining the brain.

Few doctors understand that the brain can both create and cure chronic painful conditions.

The author has coined the phrase Mind Body Syndrome or MBS for this pain and he claims most people have some form of it.

”MBS is caused by a complex set of neurological connections between the brain and the body, rather than a disease localized in one area of the body.”

He discusses whiplash, back pain and fibromyalgia, all of which can generally be helped by the author’s MBS treatments.

He provides us with a list of conditions caused by MBS which can be helped by his programme.

These include tension and migraine headaches and interstitial cystitis. The latter condition gives me much pain. I was going to order the book until I saw it was extremely dear. (The one I had been reading was a library book that I had to return.) I will order it as soon as I get some extra money.

Time does not permit me to begin to discuss or describe the exercises recommended by the author. But I can definitely recommend that you buy the book, as I myself will be doing.

[Alonzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this but haven't started the "exercises." It is an interlibrary loan, so I had limited time with it and had to copy down the instructions for the exercises.

It is informative, and I plan to work through it and to buy my own copy soon. I will write a new review once I have finished working the the four week program and will have better firsthand knowledge of how it works and what happens while doing the exercises. Even then, it is going to depend on the individual, because everyone is different and has different things to work through.

It was a good read and I look forward to getting my own copy and reading and working through it more systematically and with more care.