Clinic helps people like Margaret cope with ME (From Echo)

Cc: Michelle Archard, Journalist, with request to forward to Dr Tony Collings of Southend Hospital’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and ME clinic; Southend Hospital Spokeswoman, Pat Stone and local support groups, Colchester ME Self Help Group and Chelmsford ME Link Group, to allow the same fair right of reply which I expect.

Michelle Archard's article, about the treatments on offer for people who are said to have M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), shares a few niggling fundamental questions with other newspaper reports, in different parts of the country, which are rarely addressed by those clinicians who treat and lay people who claim to represent, patients like Margaret Wrigglesworth (Clinic helps people like Margaret cope with ME, Basildon Echo, 25 May 2010).

I hope that the Echo, to be scrupulously fair, will give the same space and prominence to consideration of why M.E.sufferers might receive no benefit or even be harmed by taking these treatments as it did to the promotion of them, without putting some cautions that were omitted, whether deliberately despite contrary evidence or in ignorance of it, in order that patients and doctors may make a better informed choice.

The first clue to the problem for people suffering with M.E. (and I mean Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, not any other diagnosis which is, without scientific justification, taken to be the equivalent of M.E.) is that the name of the clinic, as well as the other 11 in the network of clinics in the UK and the majority of local support groups, contains the term "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". Other names, such as Myalgic Encephalopathy, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other diagnoses are not the same - or why give them different names? - since they all have different diagnostic criteria. The NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) 2007 guidelines do, however, refer to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (or Encephalopathy) without making it clear whether they are synonymous or one is a subset of the other.

By bundling together patients, having different conditions with a variety of physical and/or psychiatric causes, the sample size of each one is reduced to such a small number to be of any significant value for statistical analysis. I have serious concerns about any statistics quoted about M.E. sufferers because they all originate from the hybrid ME/CFS estimate by the Department of Health which is also based on another estimate by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of America and do not contain, so far as I am aware, any breakdown by sex, age, social class etc. of either the M.E. component or any of the chronic fatigue conditions. I think Dr Tony Collings needs to tell us, when he says, "it is most common in late middle age and affects more women than men" and "which typically affects high achievers and people with obsessional personalities", whether he means M.E., CFS, or does not discriminate and also the source from which he derives these conclusions, so that other researchers, doctors and intelligent lay people can decide for themselves the level of credibility they deserve.

Dr Collings does know that some M.E. patients are housebound and bedridden. I wonder to what extent the optimistic figures of CBT and GET are skewed because none of these would be in the sample because they couldn't get to the hospital for the treatment to be tested? They, presumably, won't be amongst the patients who praised the specialists clinics and their experiences won't be counted. The subjective assertion of being "helped" is not defined by any measurable objective improvement, such as a return to work, school, or resumption of previously normal lifestyle, even to some percentage recovery level; reports made to the therapist who gave them the treatment, or to the GP who referred them for it, are likely to be tainted by fears of challenging authority or even being dropped from their lists (the subjects say quite different things to them than they do in ME patient groups and forums on the Internet!)

There are also some worrying ethical considerations: One is of conducting trials such as PACE (Pacing, Activity and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: a randomised evaluation) and FINE (Fatigue Intervention by Nurses Evaluation) after the clinics to give the treatments have already been established and are giving them; such a practice would not be permissible in drugs trials or experiments with animals. Another worrying ethical matter that the work, which forms the basis of advice given by the Government, or NICE for the treatment of people with M.E., has been conducted by a majority of doctors, researchers and their sponsors, such as insurance companies, who will consequently benefit financially and with employment from the conclusions.

M.E. sufferers and anyone who cares for them, should be aware that the latest review (Twisk & Maes 2009) shows that all research evidence to date - including that of the very same people who advocate and practise them - shows that CBT is ineffective for M.E. sufferers and GET makes a majority worse, some irrecoverably so. Yet, astonishingly, in spite of their own findings, a majority of national and local support groups are calling for funding for an expansion of this service and getting it at the expense of more promising biomedical research, aimed at a better understanding of the organic cause with a view to providing safe appropriate treatment, perhaps a cure one day.

Many of the same concerns apply to the complementary treatments and radical coaching programmes, for which people with M.E. are encouraged to pay thousands of pounds they can ill afford, when on disability benefits. They are unproven and unregulated. Again, we only hear from those who say it worked for them, many of whom go on to be practitioners themselves and benefit from free advertising. The number who are prepared to speak out and say it did not work is probably reduced by censorship and selective editing on websites that promote them and threats of legal action if they do not withdraw such claims (M.E. and the Lightning Process, Private Eye, Legal news, p.10, Issue 1248, 30 October - 12 November 2009). Most of the "trainees" probably did not have M.E. because M.E. sufferers would not have the stamina for the three-day process. The extravagant claims of success of both orthodox and alternative treatments (in one case, 100%!) do not add up when the number of people remaining ill with M.E. remains stubbornly the same.

It seems logical, therefore, to this Research Psychologist and veteran M.E sufferer or 22 years, that it would be better to have no treatment at all than one which does you no good, or may be harmful. This organisation calls on the clinics to voluntarily suspend treatments (with therapists on full pay) to avoid any hurt and for GPs to reconsider referrals pending independently conducted research by people with no possible conflicting interests. If anyone wishes to consider working as part of a research team, under my direction, investigating the efficacy of all treatments offered as a cure or significant recovery for M.E,, for no financial or any other reward apart from the outcome of the work itself, please e-mail or write to me with CV and proposals.

The same problems with interpretation of research and, contingent upon it, treatment for people with M.E. are going to continue until M.E. establishes its identity as a discrete illness. I call upon any organisation purporting to represent M.E. sufferers to make it clear exactly where they stand; if they say that CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is the same thing as M.E. and that CFS is the "preferred" term, to drop the ME part from their names or, if they are determined to keep it, say exactly what they mean by it.

In the meantime, M.E. sufferers do best with a sympathetic GP, who believes in their condition as a genuine neurological illness, provides support and treatment for symptom relief, such as pain etc. and with organisations, such as ours, which do not tolerate any other diagnostic label equivalent, for the opportunity to meet people who really do have M.E. and share a desire to find a cure for it.

Yours sincerely
drjohngreensmith@mef
reeforall.org
Dr John H Greensmith
ME Free For All.org

Peter Smith Talking Cures wrote in response too; http://www.healthy-m
agazine.co.uk/expert
s/me

What is latest and new in ME CFS?

Having followed ME via medical presentations, attended many local, national and international major charity ME CFS presentations including receiving information from the various and worldwide forums as well as being privileged in 2004 to attend an ME specialist investigation ward, attending ward rounds and patient conference - quite a something for a complimentary therapist - who for the past Twenty years since having a patient present with the disorder can see clearly The opening statement of the paper ME: What is the latest, (link above) clearly sets out; to the medical world ME CFS Fatigue is still a mystery, are we really to consider this is the latest for it is clear to see this is just old news.

It appears to myself, mention ME or most disorders we as humans suffer to any person within the medical profession, they are almost all still today in the year 2010, mysteries - with the so called advances in medical understandings we are lead to believe there are, along with the advances in body imaging and last but not least Gold Standard Evidence Based Medicine, all doctors - as agents for EBM - at some time within the treatment process, throw their hands in the air in exasperation, and say “There is no known cause, no known cure or no one therapy will never be able to cure this, finely as a protection of their chosen profession, blame the patient for the treatment not working.

Yes the dedicated doctors accept ME exists, but their own evidence tells the story “They do not know what to do with the person, let alone the many diverse symptoms the disorder presents. So why should we believe everything they say?

Physically Draining

Ask any sufferer and they will explain their symptoms, as they have done so in my Twenty year knowledge, yet if I look back through my own life, we have always been able to do that because tiredness is the first symptom we present during the process of becoming ill, ask any Mother and she will tell you, no mystery here! Of course illness no matter what name is Physically, as well as Mentally draining.

Continually regurgitation of the well published symptoms is not new or a reinvention of the wheel, only a demonstration that it still goes round and around, much the same as Scientific Medical advances, are they not always changing their mind as to the cause or renaming the illness because the earlier understanding was fraught, or the research funding ran out.

Could a virus be the cause?

Since the first outbreak of the then Yuppie Flu in 1955 there has been suggestion of ME as it became known being caused by a virus, are we really to believe this as we are told by the medical scientist, our immune system is there to protect us from such events and repair our body and there are advances in medicines and illness understandings.

Or is there an area we are not looking into, for to do so would not sell drugs.

Managing Symptoms;

As there is no known cause and Fifty-Five years have been spent treating symptoms - more so these past ten years - without success, is there not a message here, especially as it is also well reported many treatments appear to make a person worse, particularly pacing, using Rest against Activity.

Physically draining

How would it be if we all went about our life with a diver’s suit on, if we did this may give us an extremely small viewpoint as to how it feels having had, untreated or badly treated ME for many years? After a while all we may be is, tired, not ill, take the suit off and the tiredness will over a small period of time disappear as our body goes into repair mode.

This is most certainly not the case for a person with ME, for they will still remain ill and or fatigued, so is pacing a good treatment to offer a person with ME.

UN- Natural helpers

So often either on ME CFS or medical websites there is the statement “beware of practitioners promising a miracle cure, “There is not one.” Is this not a self-fulfilling prophesy, how under these terms could any person who developed a cure or even a treatment to improve the multiple symptoms of ME - demonstrate their findings.

Someone has to break the mysterious code of illness let alone ME CFS. Such wording can surely only come from a person that has a hidden agenda to protect and does not want a cure to be found.

How would it be if we all still walked step by step in trepidation; because we feel this step could be the one that takes us over the edge of the world as a result of us thinking it is flat! Well done Christopher Columbus for his findings and his power in convincing the sceptics.

Chocolate therapy

Anything that assists a person that is ill to improve, thus enabling them to run their life more comfortably gets my support, as does Dark Chocolate, to which studies have shown it to raise the serotonin levels in the brain, If this is true, does this not raise a question; more important than eating chocolate, if indeed lack of or lowered serotonin is the problem that causes ME CFS and any Fatigue through loss of quality sleep and mood fluctuations. “What causes the serotonin levels to be lowered or made to fluctuate,” Find the answer to this with a treatment to compliment, as has Talking Cures and perhaps ME CF Fatigue will be the first illness in history to be completely eradicated.

As an aside for a least twenty Years now the numbers of persons with ME has remained constant at 250.000 are we to believe this, or is it just a figment of someone’s imagination.

Peter Smith Talking Cures has worked in private practise in Southend on Sea for the past twenty Seven years specialising in treatment of medical mysteries and failures and is a Talking Therapy with the ability of working with as many symptoms of mind and body a person can present at the same time, works as a partnership with the person, not a them and us situation, if the treatment is going well we take the credit if not the same applies. Talking Cures never throws the metaphoric hands in the air of not knowing what to do next, comes with NO instructions as to retraining various organs of the mind or body: no Diet changes etc etc etc. Never interferes with the persons own treatment or any clinicians treatment regime yet provides an automatic immune system response, where the person following and between treatment has to do nothing but get on with their life as best they can whilst the treatment works. Once applied the outcome from treatment cannot be avoided, albeit it is not a magic panacea or instant therapy and can come with difficult situations where help and understandings have already been given, enabling the treatment response, time to pass.

Also Talking Cures can be effective over the telephone or Skype through a PC.

Looking back now prior to 1982 having suffered for years many symptoms: Headaches, Brain Fog, Fatigue, lethargy, erratic -behaviour, bowel movement problems, Backache, through accident, it now seems all too easy to understand, prior to my training to become a Hypnotherapist; I was too ill to be me, let alone a Son, husband, father, business man, brother or a friend, let alone become a therapist.

Then in late 1982 for once in my seemingly miserable life Lady Luck came my way, serious luck. Here in Southend on Sea an advert in our local paper “Learn self Hypnosis,” Immediately I responded, Mr Steven Quinn the trainer asked me why I wanted to learn Self Hypnosis. I replied “I do not, I want to learn to be a therapist, it appeared to me this came as a surprise to Mr Quinn of the Masters School of Hypnosis who readily agreed for me to attend his course - still today a most superior array of techniques and understandings, apart for the creation of Talking Cures by myself being an extension of his teachings. In addition, from 1987 I have Mr Wilfred Proud foot of the Proud foot School of Hypnosis to thank for with his skillful guidance and many and brilliant teachings, amongst the many things he taught me was to be an individual therapist and not a clone of himself.

The first thing I found out from Mr Quinn was to be the foundation of Talking Cures creation, is all illness is cause by Traumatic incidents in one’s life, at first I did not want to accept this but as the teaching sessions proceeded it became clear to me and so not only became easy to accept but became the rule by which Talking Cures has demystified the process of why we get ill and why we do not get well, as well as why the pain or illness returns in the same or attenuated form following seemingly successful treatments and is able to treat the mysteries that reside within and as a process of our mind yet NOT “All in our Mind” and body as well as my own . However not a quickly as I would desire.

ALL IN THE MIND?

The statement “All in our Mind” appears to me to be only made by practitioners of medicine without secure knowledge of how illness is caused, without a treatment regime that works, or a hidden financial or other agenda. Perhaps within their own mind. Failing to recognise Drugs cannot treat emotions or issues of the Mind. I recognise; I became a therapist only because medicine- and others - did not know why I was ill or have treatments - other than belittle me - that assisted me to improve let alone cure me.

As humans we are perhaps amongst the most helpless of animals on the planet, many animals straight from the womb or egg are able to survive on their own. Not us, it takes years for us to gather the knowledge to do this, are we to consider we could do this without our mind? If No, then surely in the year 2010 we have the knowledge and courage to accept all illness is but a process of the mind that seriously affects our body. Just the same as learning to walk and is in no way to be considered a weakness, more a strength.

Over the years one of the most significant of things I have found to be true by treating many persons, is, Illness is an advantage not a disadvantage, created by trauma (s) which seriously, negatively and permanently interferes with the body’s own and many chemicals which is designed by a process of the mind to balance the disruption to the chemical system of the body caused by trauma, thus enabling the person to live sort of with the unresolved conflict caused by the trauma. My findings tell me; this is still true if a person with any illness, hand on heart states “I have never been traumatised in my life.”

Watch any film (Ray the biography of Ray Charles is a perfect example) and you will only see the above.

Did not William Shakespeare say “If we do nothing, nothing gets done?” Is continually ignoring our Mind and its interaction with our body not conceding to this?

Having survived Institutional Suppression (action by those within who are threatened) of the highest order and come out stronger I am well able to take any Criticisms and Comments which always Warmly welcomed and politely responded to. Info at talkingcures c o u k.

When professionals like Dr. Collings who deal with people with ME still claim that the condition "typically affects high achievers and people with obsessional personalities", they should have their license to practise revoked.

That is the old "yuppie flu" opinion still rearing its ugly head. Puhleeeaase!

Josette Lincourt, Montreal, CANADA

Peter Smith Talking Cures wrote in response too

What is latest and new in ME CFS?

Living and working as a therapist in Southend on Sea not only do I know Dr Tony Collings as a Doctor but also as a friend and whilst I respect the much needed comments from Josette Lincourt from Montreal Canada I would ask all readers to consider;

Tony Collings as with any Doctor here in the UK and I suspect anywhere in the world can only carry out the instructions of the NHS, N.I.C.E and the Primary Care Trust he works for and All of them are bound by the Gold Standard Scientifically proven Evidenced Based Medicine and run their practice as well as the treatments applied to long suffering patients according to the very strict rules laid down by these governing bodies.

Therefore any treatments that do not work or make a person worse, many times creating so-called side effects (mostly from drugs) must be surely laid at the doorstep of the so-called scientists who receive over many years, Millions of pounds and Dollars funding to research all illnesses, let alone ME CFS FM Lupas, ets,etc,etc.

Yet persistently or perhaps very cleverly fail to recognise EBM is the biggest myth and most miserable failure of all scientific advances - Pain and tiredness being the least understood of them all - based on the understanding and much publicised by researchers and doctors alike “We do not know the cause and there is no known cure.”

With this in mind I would respectfully request Miss Josette direct her rightful emotion and perhaps anger at the message and not the messenger as Tony Collings is, along with his most dedicated of colleges around the world doing the best they are able with such terrible tools techniques and understandings. Talking Cures has no such constraints.

It was sadly and abundantly clear when I attended the ME research Clinic funded by the NHS, in reality working with the best evidence they had to hand “they did not have a clue what they were doing, and most certainly were not aware of causing in one instance – until I wrote and pointed this out – a young women with ME for the previous Eleven Years – to become Bi-polar and moved her out of the unit to another hospital to manage her mood swings.

Perhaps; because the researchers persistently adhere to Rene Descartes dualism (separation of the mind and body) Bring these interrelated and interdependent organs together and we may well be on the road to recovery or the very least a better understanding of all illness.

As a demonstration, ask yourself this question. How many people in your circle of Family and friends are ill in some manner or taking drugs to manage their illness or worse a member of a Professional Patient Program; To manage their own illness. If the answer to this is, too many, is this not a confirmation.

One may also ask the question; How many Doctors are ill, if the medicine they pedal as agents for EBM would they not at the very least, keep and use the very best for themselves? Sadly too many of our dedicated Doctors are victims themselves of Drug and Alcohol overuse and often depression.

Persistently over the intervening years since “Yuppie Flu” different viruses have been blamed for this most serious and depleting disorder, is it just possible this is not in the least bit true, for what appears to be a virus under the microscope, is in reality, just the body’s own defence mechanism working to create stability within the body, as the Trauma that created instability is still unresolved. Of course I would not make this statement if I did not believe it to be true. Based on the facts no scientific evidence is yet to hand to absolutely prove there is a virus and as a result create an antidote to cure it. And why does not the body destroy the virus?

Having survived Institutional Suppression (action by those within who are threatened) of the highest order (NHS-PCT) and come out stronger I am well able to take any Criticisms and Comments which always Warmly welcomed and politely responded to. Info at talkingcures c o u k.

I confess that I cannot see any purpose for Peter Smith posting here other than to advertise his private practice of unspecified talking cures which, I presume, he is suggesting either cures, or aids significant recovery in, people with M.E.

I fail to see how you can talk anyone out of a physiological or neurological illness, such as M.E., any more than you could out of Cancer, AIDS, Parkinsons, Alzheimers etc. and to suggest that you might raises false hopes that are most often dashed,

There is no evidence that his treatment works, or we should be seeing a reduction in the number remaining ill. It is also likely that the people who can elect to have his treatment do not have M.E. but some other condition due to mobility constraints. Peter also keeps to the ME/CFS polluted soup, which is holding us all back

It is our intention to test the efficacy of all claims to be able to cure, or significantly aid recovery of, M.E. sufferers and Peter’s talking cures joins the list of NICE recommended treatments CBT and GET, supplementary, alternative and radical offerings which we shall test with people who have M.E. (and I mean Myalgic Encephalomyelitis not any other condition which may, without justification, be said to be synonymous) and I invite Peter’s approval and co-operation.

Peter is not alone in employing this kind of self-promotion but I advise him that it is equally vulgar and as potentially disappointing for chronically ill people. I urge him to be the first to set a good example and refrain from doing it further either here or anywhere else.

Yours sincerely
drjohngreensmith@mef
reeforall.org
ME Free For All.org

Peter Smith Talking Cures wrote in response to DR John Greensmith 29 05 10.

What is latest and new in ME CFS?

May I complement Dr John Greensmith MEfreeforall.org for his comments relating to my postings on the Southend on Sea Echo’s website in response to Margaret and the mysterious illness she suffers and how Dr Tony Collings and his colleges have helped her.

It is open and lively argumentative discussions by all interested parties that may bring about a coalition for a better understanding of this mysterious illness, that has since 1955 defied the best medical brains in the world as to the cause.

Therefore my desire and intention is most certainly not to raise or dash hopes, have they not had enough of this already. The intention, is my attempt to bring different ideas to the discussion table.

Having read postings on the internet from Doctors who in their clinic or surgeries are constantly telling patients, “Not to search the web looking for miracle cures that do not exist.”

If we all adhered to this is it just possible many people that have indeed found new treatments on the internet and improved from them, would still be suffering. And is it not true; research doctors, publish most on the internet.

There is no doubt in my mind the internet is a wonderful invention for it allows discussions as this, that could possibly never happen without it.

Surely therefore we must include the many postings which are of an anonymous nature, can this really be in our interest if we are to discover why so many have ME CFS and why they are such distinct disorders, as Dr John so eloquently describes.

it is for this very reason I always include my name and title in any posting as well as contact information if the site allows, this includes stating my position regarding explaining Talking Cures, this is not a desire just to sell the treatment more with the serious hope the Millions of persons around the world who suffer, will find relief at sometime based on the understanding illness is a process of the mind, not “All in the Mind,” to which research can be created to expand this understanding.

In late 2008 with research Talking Cures was undertaking to document the process by which a person with multiple diagnosed and long term treated illness and pain became ill, which included this disorder and how with specialised treatment, time and patients they could become well.

Persons suffering this disorder were invited to join Talking Cures with the intention of looking to demonstrate this disorder is perhaps not so mysterious.

The criteria set down was where a person had to be in bed and diagnosed (demonstrated in writing by a Doctor) with ME and living in the Southend on Sea area who would be offered treatment free of fees until they were well. This invitation is still open to any person fitting within the very small criteria.

Finely Dr John’s comment cannot be more true, “Talking cannot cure illness,” do we not when ill especially if it is of a long standing nature; constantly talk or even write about our illness, all to no avail.

Talking Cures is not “tell me all about your life,” no more than it is the person being told to “snap out of it,”. If they were able to do this then they most certainly would have done rather than suffer the indignity and misery the illness brings.

Thus if I mention Talking Cures it is just to state my position in writing the postings for the treatment appears to be unique as it is not a them and us therapy where the person is blamed if it does not work.
It is a partnership that for my part is unbreakable whereby if the treatment is not demonstrating the results desired “We” take the blame and the reverse is true if it is.

Talking Cures is the therapy where the person post and in between treatments has to do nothing but get on with their life as best they can whilst the treatment does its work, comes with no instructions as to training various organs of the body, no instructions as to forcibly making changes regarding rest, activity or diet. And comes complete with an automatic immune response that cannot be avoided.

Using Talking Cures I am never placed in a position of throwing my hands in the air saying “I do not know what to do next.”

Keep up the good work Dr John Greensmith - especially as you suffer this disorder yourself -with fortitude as this, one day we will win and ME CFS (not separated by a dash, because I recognise many people think or believe they are different, as is their right) will become for the millions of persons with it, better treatable, thereby easing their suffering and allowing them to resume their rightful place within the community.

Did not William Shakespeare not say “If we do nothing, Nothing gets done.”

Having survived Institutional Suppression (action by those within who are threatened) of the highest order (NHS PCT) and come out stronger I am well able to take any Criticisms and Comments which always Warmly welcomed and politely responded to. Info at talkingcures c o u k.

Reply to Peter Smith - This Miss Josette does not wish to comment on the treatments or cures of yourself or Dr Collings, but what I pointed out was that if yourself and Dr. Collings still consider that ME sufferers are mostly high achievers and people with obsessional personalities, you really have a biased opinion of ME sufferers which fails to encompass the greater percentage of us. Many of us do not fit your narrowly defined criteria and never did.
Josette Lincourt, Canada

Twenty three yrs of joining exercising classes, going swimming and trying to do GET etc proves to me it is not the answer, I have got worse! When are doctors going to realise it will not cure a viral/bacterial illness? When will doctors and government accept that ME is really Lyme disease and that contaminated polio vaccines and GERM warfare are involved, one has only to read the research by Prof Donald Scott, Prof Garth Nicolson (GWS) and others to realise this. Why has the government got secret papers on ME that we cannot read for 70yrs (same as David Kelly's, a GERM warfare specialist!)
Two MP's have died of this illness, one committing suicide along with quite a few young sufferers. When are we going to get government research into this illness, when are we going to get justice?

Peter Smith Talking Cures wrote in response to Josette Lincourt, Canada 10 06 10. 05.41

What is latest and new in ME CFS?

May I first thank Southend Hospital, Dr Tony Collings, Margaret Wigglesworth and especially Southend on Sea Echo for this feature and more importantly for allowing the continuation of this thread, thereby allowing healthy argumentative debate?

It appears to me, so often us the public are quoted as being up in arms about a subject, yet in reality, are rarely given the opportunity of expressing in the media just how we feel about a subject.

May I also thank Josette Lincourt of Montreal Canada for giving to me the opportunity of expressing both my personal viewpoint as well as that of Talking Cures on the very contentious point so often quoted “ME CFS affects mainly High Achievers and People with Obsession type personalities.” I am well aware of this research finding and would say if I or Talking Cures were ever to concede to this I would be in dereliction of my own beliefs and findings, moreover would feel I would also be stating quite clearly “I am unsure of the cause of illness and have no treatment to offer.” This is not the case, as the ability to treat myself goes someway towards demonstrating.

May I now go on record as stating quite clearly I do not accept this to be in the slightest true and only confuses the much needed argumentative discussion on Illness let alone ME ME/CFS. All of which are a process of the mind which knows no boundaries of Age, Gender, Race, Colour, Creed, Religion, Country Borders or the status of wealth, fame, achievement-or lack of.

Illness, be it in the mind, Body or a combination of the two is extremely debilitating and destroys lives, not only for the sufferer but for family and friends and therefore is very real!

To describe or dismiss illness as psychosomatic is to demonstrate the cause within the whole body is not known and fails to recognise “psychological” is a symptom of ill health just, like fatigue, and is not a cause of this or any disorder.

In addition, Obsession Type Personalities are, simply put, a symptom of either the inability of a treatment to effectively understand and resolve the real cause of illness and that is reaction to trauma (s), or an initial response to a trauma. This understanding is felt to be wide enough to encompass all symptoms of ME ME/CFS as well as those yet to show themselves?

Illness can and does strike at a time convenient to itself or better said the Mind processes. To which Lifestyle activity - being only a demonstrating of a mind process - has nothing to do with, no more than it can negatively or positively influence the process of ill health.
Illness only arrives when we can no longer suppress the negative driving forces from the Sub-conscious mind following trauma that is controlling our bodies many chemicals and driving negatively our daily activities.
Illness can be said to start within the womb post our conception as mother tries to balance her body chemicals against the demands of the foetus as well as her own fears and anxieties created by her own traumas, and we, as a growing person battle to balance against this, our own body chemicals, giving rise to a possible so-called Genetic malfunctions in a new born.

In reality these genetic adaptations perhaps only demonstrate Genetic Evolution is only created in response to a fearsome background and thus Illness could well be considered part of this process.

Post birth the earlier processes can pale into insignificance and would but for Birth and post Birth traumatic events which so often continue not only through our formative years but during our whole lives. It is here at birth where a person can and often is set on the pathway to become a High Achiever or of an Obsession type Personality. This is also the creator or foundation of the multiple complex and diverse symptoms of ill health that in most instances will always defy medical intervention, despite the ability to see inside the body with a clarity we public are just about to experience with the introduction of HD televisions.

Using the above is it not reasonable to consider if we contract a Virus or Bacterial infection our body should itself destroy the infection through its immune system and if it does not “Why.” Under these is it just possible the so called infection is just an adaptation of the body’s own chemicals in direct response to traumatic events? And until the trauma is resolved the so called infection will persist in its activity or lay dormant until required and thus triggered back to or into life? Therefore the name the Viral/Bacterial infections are called pales into insignificance?

For many years I have watched many new medical findings especially within ME ME/CFS fall by the wayside, patiently waiting for the time to come – knowing full well it will – where we would recognise, the only place we as a race of people can go to explain why we get ill and why we do not get well following what may be considered brilliant findings of medical researchers and the application of the many treatment regimes and drug preparations our dedicated Doctors use to assist us to get well; is into the Mind and its thought processes.
From here there is nowhere else to go but backward, first for us to understand how and what traumatic events negatively affected our ability to run our life and body and then forward into the future, safe and secure we now understand and then as time goes by, allow our body to heal itself as it is designed to do. I sincerely believe if this happened, medical preparations/applica
tions our Doctors provide would have a greater effect in our desire to get well. Recognising the mind and body are encased within the largest organ of the body, the skin and are completely dependent on each other.

Do not, we as children so often scream “You do not understand” and do we not, as parents hear the same from our children, do we really understand as we so often retort “We do understand, we have been through the same,” this, as we all find out, is of no solace to us being on the receiving end as this only demonstrates “we are not under any circumstances understood.” This cry is only a demonstration of past traumatic events we are so often told “Put it to the back of your mind, it will be safe there. This being the least safe place to hide a trauma.

Or worse immediately post a traumatic event “Big Girls/Boys do not cry, DO they, or “Do not tell anyone, this is our secret,” often said with passive intent yet with equally threatening intimations.

Having survived Institutional Suppression (action by those within who are threatened) of the highest order (NHS PCT and higher) and emerged stronger, I am well able to take any Criticisms and Comments which are always Warmly welcomed and politely responded to. Info at talkingcures c o u k.

I run my life and treatments on the secure understanding; I have a closed mind if I limit myself only to those things I understand or which make sense to me.