Book SummaryThe Divided Mind, by John E. Sarno

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Divided Mind

What if pain really is “all in your head”? In The Divided Mind, John E. Sarno details his pioneering theory that many cases of chronic pain—such as back pain, neck pain, migraines, and repetitive stress injuries—are caused by the mind's tendency to create physical symptoms in response to repressed emotional trauma or stress. Many of Sarno’s patients report that this approach helped them find relief when mainstream medicine failed.

Sarno (1923-2017) was a practicing physician but was best known for his best-selling books (including The Divided Mind, published in 2006), which explain his holistic approach to pain management, encompassing both physical and psychological causes. Sarno earned his M.D. from [Columbia...

The Divided Mind Summary The Mind and Body Connection

Sarno begins by saying that many painful medical conditions are psychogenic, meaning “created by the mind.” He refers to such conditions as mindbody disorders, emphasizing that they are mental as well as physical. (Shortform note: You’ll also see these conditions referred to as psychosomatic, which means the same thing: “psycho” refers to the mind, and “somatic” refers to the body.)

According to Sarno, these disorders exist because of the deep connection between your mind and your body. In simple terms, your mental health and physical health are intrinsically linked—therefore, if one suffers, the other will too.

(Shortform note: Sarno’s assertion that there’s a connection between your mind and your body is not a new idea. For example, mindfulness practitioners teach that every emotion creates certain physical responses, like how anger makes you tense your muscles and joy causes you to smile. In many cases, by carefully observing what your body is doing at a particular moment, you can identify...

The Divided Mind Summary Tension Myositis Syndrome

Sarno coined the term Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS) to describe the condition he believes is actually behind many chronic pain disorders, which are often diagnosed as purely physical problems.

“Tension" refers to the muscle tension and blood vessel constriction that the brain triggers in specific areas of the body, causing decreased oxygen flow to those areas. “Myositis” means muscle inflammation, which is one of the most common causes of chronic pain.

(Shortform note: Tension Myositis Syndrome is also known as Tension Myoneural Syndrome. “Myoneural” refers to both muscles and nerves, and therefore this term emphasizes the nervous system’s role in producing the symptoms. To be more specific, Sarno’s theory of TMS involves the autonomic nervous system, which controls unconscious processes like your heartbeat, breathing, and digestion—all of which can be affected by the mindbody disorders that Sarno...

The Divided Mind Summary Contributions From Other Doctors

The second half of The Divided Mind consists of a series of essays by other doctors about their experiences with mindbody disorders. This includes learning about them, treating them, and in some cases, recovering from such disorders themselves.

High Blood Pressure as a Mindbody Disorder

Samuel J. Mann teaches clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and treats patients at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. He specializes in treating hypertension, and is particularly interested in the connection between repressed emotions and hypertension.

Most people believe that constantly feeling stressed raises the risk of developing high blood pressure. However, Mann argues that research and treatments focusing on feelings of stress have failed to support this theory; the link between stress and hypertension remains tenuous, and stress-reduction techniques don’t reliably reduce blood pressure.

(Shortform note: There is a known connection between stress and high blood pressure, but Mann is correct that it’s tenuous; the American Heart Association (AHA) says that the direct link between stress and hypertension [is...

Shortform Exercise: Review What You’ve Learned

Now that you’re familiar with what Sarno and other doctors say about mindbody disorders, take a few minutes to think about what you’ve read.

What, if anything, did you know about mindbody (psychosomatic) disorders before reading this guide?