CBT - Limitations with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

CBT has its place. Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Talk at Hypnotherapy Association September 08.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• CBT
• Cognitive
• Behavioural
• Therapy
• Chronic
• Fatigue
• Syndrome
• ME
• Myalgic
• Encephalomyelitis

[OpenMindGuide]

Everyone has their belief systems that they are 'comfortable' living with. Many of those that I have treated with CFS/ME who have done some deep personal work have discovered that their belief system has been working against their physical recovery. Once aligned with themselves, they tread the road to recovery. Everyone's experience with this condition is different - as different as there are people. As yet, as in almost all medicine, there is no 1 size fits all. To hold out for such is naive

[OpenMindGuide]

The problem with ME/CFS is that it APPEARS to be a physical disease. There are many physical symptoms and some markers for the disease: lymphocyte production, T cells, low cortisol etc. there is no doubt there are in some cases a physical trail. However, this condition is in my experience of working with many sufferers, that it is maintained by deeply held belief systems that are difficult to capture and even harder to change. But they can be changed. At that point, healing is inevitable.

[OpenMindGuide]

The problem with ME/CFS is that it APPEARS to be a physical disease. There are many physical symptoms and some markers for the disease: lymphocyte production, T cells, low cortisol etc. there is no doubt there are in some cases a physical trail. However, this condition is in my experience of working with many sufferers, that it is maintained by deeply held belief systems that are difficult to capture and even harder to change. But they can be changed. At that point, healing is inevitable.

[OpenMindGuide]

This is a rather public forum for me to ask the following question, but I wonder if you can describe what was happening at the time of onset? And have you tried nutritional support? Most people have. It's an obvious question I guess. Also there are therapists and therapists. Not everyone understands what is going on mentally and emotionally with this condition. It is very tenacious. Go to my site and contact me through the contacts page & I'll e mail you back. Look up Hans Selye GAS.

[Macmador]

To differentiate between CFS and M.E. -

CFS is an unconsciously self-induced fatigue/depression which can be treated by long-term psychological intervention.

M.E. is a multipathogen infection affecting the brain, nervous system, hormone, endocrine and adrenal systems (and by association, the rest of the body). Depression indirectly caused by M.E. can be helped by CBT, BUT NOT the mood swings, brain fog and brain damage resulting from the infection.

[OpenMindGuide]

The terms are used interchangeably even if there might be a clinical difference. And I have had success treating all forms of ME/CFS with a variety of talk, hypnosis and nutrition based therapies. You sound like you might have suffered yourself?

[joopiter76]

ME/CFS does not "appear" to be a physical illness, IT IS a physical illness! People are dying from this devasting disease. Where would we get if any little CBT therapist would start reclassifying the World Health Organisations International Classification of diseses? Those people are just quacks!! Don´t ever believe such people. She has spend her career in a NULL-Field with no scientific value. That´s why she insists on her own disproven beliefs.

[joopiter76]

People like her have told in the past that cholera, Aids, polio, Multiple Sklerosis, Parkinson as well as gastric ulcer comes from the mind. When will this NONSENSE ever stop? Those CBT therapists are ignoring al the biomedical evidence just to claim what they believe. Recently a norvegian study showed that the anti cancer tratment Rituximab removed almost all the illness Symptoms and people were able to live a normal live. Science has already proven those psychological nonsense beeing wrong!!

[joopiter76]

She is talking NONSENSE. ME/CFS is a neurological illness classified under ICD-10 G93.3 bei the World Health Organisition. This woman has been teaching professionals in a wrong way about this defasting illness. Sophia Mirza died from ME/CFS, Amberlin Wu died from ME/CFS, Alison Hunter died from ME/CFS and many many more, the life-time expectation is 20 years lower (Jason et al 2006) and the cancer incidence is much higher (Levine et al, Jason et al)

[patsmithsmithpat]

@Macmador Hello. :) I feel that this must be said. M.E. and CFS are the exact same thing, at least here in the United States. I am very connected with many sufferers, myself included, and the diagnoses is CFS. (Yes, we REALLY need to change the name!) CFS patients are in agony. The neuroimmune symptoms are abundant. 'Chronic Fatigue' is a symptom. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a disease that has 100% of the symptoms as M.E. I assure you.

ME/CFS is a physical disease, so CBT is NOT very helpful.

[Macmador]

Hello - I have suffered from M.E. since 1994. It has not responded to any form of hypnosis or CBT, but has responded to hypertension drugs and powerful antibiotics. Unfortunately, I live in the UK and the NHS does not support this line of treatment, so I had to import my medication. Ultimately, I could not afford further drugs and have relapsed into a generally very poor state of mental and physical health. I am now investigating possible involvement of Lyme Disease & Adrenal Innsufficiency.