Thanks to *Iartista* for highlighting this 2012 ‘curing ME/CFS with NLP’ study by Megan Arroll and the OHC’s NLP practitioner Anna Duschinsky. The study emphasis a supposed ‘stress loop’ hypothesis ad nauseum, and emphasises an ‘over achiever’ caricature stereotype so beloved by the OHC, ‘high action-proneness’ anxiety, trauma, etc etc.
As here:
“To begin, individuals are assessed on a number of characteristics that have been found to be important in the predisposition and maintenance of ME/CFS, such as a drive towards action and achievement…. trauma (this can be high- or low-grade trauma) all of which can lead to anxiety and heightened arousal, culminating in a chronic activation of stress loop.
After these patterns are identified, trained therapists utilised NLP techniques such as the pattern break/anchoring method to retrain the nervous system out of its
hyper-alert state and into a calmer, more present and more empowered one which enables activity management without relapse or ‘payback’. “
And there are the NLP inventors Richard Bandler, John Grinder and Robert Dilts, in the references.
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=A Neuro-linguistic Programming-informed psychological approach to the treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A case study and initial findings from a longitudinal investigation
‘A Neuro-linguistic Programming-informed psychological approach to the treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): A case study and initial findings from a longitudinal investigation’
Authors: Megan Arroll and Anna Duschinsky
Dr Megan Arroll is the Director of Research for The Optimum Health Clinic and holds a Visiting Research Fellowship at the University of East London. Her research interests include numerous medically-unexplained conditions such as ME/CFS, MdDS, fibromyalgia, etc. and uses both quantitative and qualitative methods in her work.
Anna Duschinsky MA(Hons) holds a degree from Cambridge University, and has numerous qualifications in mind-body approaches including Hypnotherapy and NLP. Anna is Director of Psychology at The Optimum Health Clinic where she has specialised in working with ME/CFS and stress related conditions, and has over 10,000 hours of clinical experience.
Contact details:
The Optimum Health Clinic
Bickerton House,
25-27 Bickerton Road,
London, N19 5JY
E-mail:
drarroll@theoptimumhealthclinic.com,
E-mail:
anna@theoptimumhealthclinic.com
Website:
www.freedomfromme.co.uk
Abstract
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic, multi-system disorder with no clear biomedical aetiology (Carruthers et al., 2003). Due to its uncertain causation, this condition has proved difficult to treat (Chambers, Bagnall, Hempel, & Forbes, 2006) with the largest high-quality outcome studies centring on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Price, Mitchell, Tidy, & Hunot, 2008) and Graded Exercise Therapy (Edmonds, McGuire, & Price, 2004), techniques which are often rejected by patients.
A small, private integrated health clinic has utilised components of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP; Andreas & Andreas, 1994; Bandler & Grinder, 1975; Dilts, Hallbom and Smith, 1990) in an effort to provide those with the disorder an alternative to the aforementioned treatment modalities.
To begin, individuals are assessed on a number of characteristics that have been found to be important in the predisposition and maintenance of ME/CFS, such as a drive towards action and achievement (Van Houdenhove, Onghena, Neerinckx, & Hellin, 1995), trauma (this can be high- or low-grade trauma) (Van Houdenhove et al., 2001) and daily stressors (Van Houdenhove et al., 2003), all of which can lead to anxiety and heightened arousal, culminating in a chronic activation of stress loop.
After these patterns are identified, trained therapists utilised NLP techniques such as the pattern break/anchoring method to retrain the nervous system out of its
hyper-alert state and into a calmer, more present and more empowered one which enables activity management without relapse or ‘payback’.
With continued professional support, steady and sustained improvements have been shown, as assessed by a longitudinal investigation study of the Clinic’s methods.
In a Clinic-wide study investigating the psychological, nutritional and combined interventions provided, 138 participants (110 females, 79.7%; mean age 42.86 years; mean illness duration 9.52 years) completed a battery of measures (Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form 36, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, CDC CFS Symptom Inventory, Maladaptive Stress Index) at baseline and 72 participants at follow-up (52.17% response rate).
Within the psychology group alone, significant differences were found between time one and time two in measures of physical functioning, social functioning, general mental health, vitality, general health perception, internal and chance locus of control, general fatigue, activity, motivation, mental fatigue, muscle aches and pains, memory problems, difficulty in concentrating and the maladaptive stress response. In order to illustrate clearly the NLP aspects that have led to these results, a brief case study will be presented first. The lady (‘S’) in question was very driven and with a deep seated anxiety, with an intense need to be in control. ME/CFS was triggered by a busy
work and family life and a traumatic life experience in the form of a Tsunami and an earthquake. Over the first three months of treatment S went from bed-bound to enjoying everyday activities without worsening symptoms; within 18 months S had made a full recovery and was pregnant with her fourth child.
Bibliography
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Core Transformation: Reaching the Wellspring Within. Moab, Utah: Real People Press.
Bandler, R., & Grinder, G. (1975).
The Structure of Magic Volume 1. Moab, Utah: Real People Press.
Carruthers, B. M., Jain, A. K., de Meirleir, K. L., Peterson, D. L., Klimas, N. G., Lerner, A. M. et al. (2003). Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Clinical Working Case Definition, Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols.
Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 11, 7-116.
Chambers, D., Bagnall, A.M., Hempel, S. & Forbes, C. (2006). Interventions for the treatment, management and rehabilitation of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/Myalgic encephalomyelitis: an updated systematic review.
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