Indifference: The Surprising Sign You're Healing From Chronic Pain
If you're on the mindbody healing path, there's a moment that might sneak up on you. It's not another symptom. It’s not a major emotional breakthrough. It’s something more subtle, more powerful—and more misunderstood.
It’s indifference.
When it comes to healing from chronic pain, especially things like IBS, back pain, pelvic pain, migraines, or anxiety-related symptoms, indifference isn’t about giving up. It’s not apathy. It’s not “not caring.”
It’s a sign that you’ve started to let go of control.
And that’s when healing really begins to take root.
Why Indifference Matters in the Pain Relief Process
In the early stages of TMS healing or using the mindbody approach, most people are hyper-focused on symptoms.
Every twinge gets analyzed. Every flare-up sparks panic. But over time—if you do the emotional work—you’ll start to care a little less. Not in a reckless way, but in a peaceful way.
That’s indifference.
And the wild part? Once you're indifferent to your symptoms, they often start to disappear.
You Can’t Fake Indifference (And That’s the Point)
A lot of people try to jump straight to indifference. They think, “If I just stop caring about my IBS or back pain, maybe it’ll go away.”
But it doesn’t work like that.
You only reach true indifference after you’ve done the real work—learning how to acknowledge and allow your emotions.
Because here's the truth: chronic pain often shows up when you haven’t been feeling certain emotions. Fear, anger, shame, hopelessness—whatever your system has been trying to protect you from, it uses pain as a signal. Not to hurt you—but to guide you.
So no, you don’t become indifferent overnight.
You become indifferent when your nervous system learns that it’s safe to feel everything.
How I Became Indifferent to My IBS Symptoms
I used to check the toilet every day. Were my poos solid? Was it diarrhea again? Was this going to mess with my energy, my day, my life?
Then something shifted.
After months of acknowledging and allowing difficult emotions—fear, shame, anger, all of it—I started to feel less afraid. I stopped needing to micromanage everything.
Eventually, I just stopped caring.
Food went in, food came out. If my stomach was dodgy, so be it. I wasn’t bracing against life anymore. I was just... living it.
That’s the power of indifference. It doesn’t mean you don’t feel. It means you feel safe enough to let go.
The Connection Between Control and Chronic Pain
A lot of people with chronic symptoms (myself included) tend to have controlling personality traits. We hate uncertainty. We want to know what’s happening next. We want our bodies to behave predictably.
Indifference challenges all of that.
It says:
“It’s okay if you don’t know. It’s okay if your body does something weird. It’s okay if you’re not perfect today.”
That kind of surrender can feel terrifying—especially at the start. But the more you let go of control, the more your body trusts you.
And the more your body trusts you, the less it needs to scream at you with symptoms.
How to Practice Indifference (Even If You're Not There Yet)
If you’re still new to all this and feeling obsessed with the process—constantly journaling, meditating, trying to "do it right"—that’s okay.
I get it. I was there too.
But at some point, you’ll need to balance all the inner work with getting back to your actual life.
Start with little experiments:
Go out with friends even if you're bloated.
Go to the gym even if you’re tired.
Let yourself feel angry without trying to “fix it.”
Use self-talk like:
“What if it’s okay if I feel like this today?”
“What if my mind and body are working for me?”
“What if I can get on with life anyway?”
This is the kind of mindset shift that helps you become more resilient, more grateful, and—yep—more indifferent.
Obsession Slows Healing. Indifference Speeds It Up.
If you're obsessing over every emotion, every sensation, every technique, you're probably holding on a bit too tightly.
That’s why I teach people to use emotional tools in small doses—like eating when you're hungry. Do the inner work, then get back to life.
Get on with your day. Go out. Laugh. Dance. Do what you love.
You don’t have to be fully healed to live your life.
But the more you live your life, the more healing happens naturally.
Summary: Indifference as a Healing Milestone
If you're healing from chronic pain, IBS, anxiety, back pain, or any mindbody condition, here’s what I want you to know:
✅ Indifference is a byproduct of deep emotional work
✅ You can’t fake it—but you can grow into it
✅ It helps you release the need to control everything
✅ It’s a signal your nervous system feels safe
✅ It makes symptoms less frequent, less intense—or just irrelevant
Want help getting there?
Join my pain relief community. You’ll get:
💬 A private forum for support
🎥 Access to my 3-stage mindbody healing course
📚 Emotional processing tools
🧠 A health quiz to track your progress
🧘 Live group calls and meditation sessions
Start feeling more resilient, calm, and free—no matter what your body is doing.