The use of CBT to “treat” ME: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

I use the expression, the use of CBT to treat ME, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, very gingerly here because I see very little treatment going on. The prevalent attitude of treating ME (also known as CFSME) with a treatment regimen that involves cognitive behavior therapy and an exercise protocol is surely missing the bigger point, even though it is the prevailing attitude in the UK. How can you treat someone if you basicly think they’re faking it??

(Did I say this “CBT attitude” was sponsored by the psychiatric community alone? No, I didn’t, but it ain’t called cognitive behavior therapy for nothing. And the CBT group surely has won over and convinced many otherwise sensible medical professionals into believing that because no one has proven a definite cause and effect relationship for ME, surely the tens of thousands of people affected by it must be making up all the symptoms in their heads! That’s just plain and simple hogwash.)

Since ME is regarded as mostly a psychosomatically inspired illness and not a true physical entity, the UK brand of medicine insists that it can be treated by talk therapy and exercise, no matter how sick or disabled the patient.

This philosophy and treatment regimen does not take into account how physically ill someone is, even if that person had been perfectly healthy before coming down with the severe illness symptoms attributed to ME.

The following is a sampling of one public letter written to BMJ, the British Medical Journal, about this horrific issue and after Lynn Gilderdale’s death, a lady who committed suicide recently after suffering for so long, being believed so little and getting no real help during her lifetime:

I adore CBT 18 February 2010

A.F. Andrew,
Family physician
Perth, Australia

In the wake of Lynn Gilderdale’s death, one would have expected an editorial in the BMJ to acknowledge the devastating effects of severe ME, and try to lead the way forward to find proper treatment and hopefully a cure.

One would have expected that such an editorial would mention the fact that ME has been classified by the WHO as a neurological illness since 1969. A fact that most doctors, including myself before I fell ill, are not aware of.

Most doctors are led to believe, by a small group of psychiatrists, that this illness, either doesn’t exist, or is based on false illness believes, and is all in the mind. That the psychiatrist changed the name 20 years ago from ME in CFS, and then changed the criteria, is just a small detail.

The basis of CBT for ME/CFS is fantastic. First, you blame the patient for his illness, and then when CBT doesn’t cure him, you blame him for not being motivated. When I’m fit and well again, I will use this same principle when I see a patient with for example, a severe infection. If the antibiotic I have prescribed, doesn’t solve the problem, then I will blame the patient. That the culture has shown that I prescribed the wrong treatment, is something I will ignore.

According to the three psychiatrists, CBT and GET are super treatments for ME. Lynn at one stage, couldn’t swallow anymore, to brighten up her life even more. Her doctor then had the choice to treat swallowing problems, with the so fancied behavioural therapy, i.e. CBT, or with exercise therapy, also
called GET, the other psychiatric favourite. Luckily, Lynn’s treating doctor inserted a tube, so she could be tube fed. Although I agree with the psychiatrists that CBT is best.

You might still think that ME doesn’t exist, or, that it is all in the mind, and continue to be incredibly hostile to your ME patients. However, you might be next and become an ME patient as well, just like myself and many others. And I can assure you, you will be in for a big shock, and at the same time, you will also find that this illness has got nothing to with what you have been reading in your magazines, written by CBT psychiatrists. So hip hip hooray for CBT, because who needs proper treatment for a severe and very disabling illness anyway?

Competing interests: I am a doctor with ME who simply adores CBT

I don’t have the time and space to list all of the letters, but you’re welcomed to read them at this BMJ, British Medical Journal link.

Just because the British/ UK medical establishment hasn’t woken up yet to this horrific plight doesn’t mean they can’t. Let’s all pray for more awareness and useful help for our fellow ME sufferers. Plus, we need better world awareness of every phase and type of these illnesses: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, CFS, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, ME and the combination term, CFSME.

You have my best, always,
Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show

Tagged as: CBT, cfsme, me, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, treat