• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Occupational model for preventing ME

Aurator

Senior Member
Messages
625
Every time we read shit like this, it comes out of the UK! :mad:
I suspect that impression may have something to do with the ratio in the UK of informed patients to people churning out uninformed twaddle; it is unusually high, I suspect.

For now, all we can do is keep warring down the twaddle. At least in the UK there is little chance of it going unchallenged, which is a start.
 

Sean

Senior Member
Messages
7,378
"Ultimately it boils down to finding a client base that comes back time and time again . . . ."

"Before we go any further, I want to be completely honest with you There is No magic bullet There is No claim here of a ‘cure’ There is No quick fix What we are offering here is a Guided Map to your recovery. Our program takes 6 - 9 months minimum."
Nice work if you can scam it.
 
Messages
2,158
I've just looked at the Chrysalis effect website, and i even signed up, under a pseudonym, but with my own email address to get their free outline of the process. They are still making claims to cure CFS, with their mix of various therapies - counselling, meditation yoga mindfulness positive thinking personal support, and a bit about sorting out gut problems and adrenal fatigue etc. I forget all the details.

I suspect this is in breach of the ASA ruling.
 
Last edited:

markielock

Senior Member
Messages
319
I did a free trial of The Chrysalis Effect a couple of years ago. It took me about 20 minutes to realise how much of a con it was. I went in to the trial with low expectations because the language on the website had a sleazy marketing feel and the promises made were just unrealistic. It felt like they were missing the point of fluctuating health conditions in the first place! What annoyed me the most was their assertion that if you didn't believe you can recover, then you wont. It then went on to imply that not trying the program was a declaration that you weren't willing to recover. Talk about emotional blackmail toward people in a desperate situation.

I checked the website and it's not been updated in the years since I last visited: always a confidence booster.

It infuriates me that individuals can run these 'programs' and disseminate this information on blogs and other public platforms without some kind of accountability or quality control?

Two things came to my mind when I read this in the article:

24/7 culture takes its toll
The Health and Safety Executive’s report Work Related Stress, Anxiety and Depression Statistics in Great Britain 2014/15 concluded there are:“Over 440,000 people ill with stress-related conditions in UK (increase of 20,000 since 2011/2012), which amounts to 43% of all working days lost.”

1. It'd be great if 24/7 hour culture was the problem, all i'd have to do was slow my life down! Yet, here I am: too debilitated to actually participate in it in the first place.

2. "Stress-related condition"? Go to hell, lol.
 

charles shepherd

Senior Member
Messages
2,239

NelliePledge

Senior Member
Messages
807
Dispelling the myths about CFS - Personnel Today (UK)

A long and very disappointing review in a magazine aimed at employers and HR departments which goes on to plug the Chrysalis Effect as the most effective form of management

Large groan...….

Full text here:
http://www.personneltoday.com/hr/dispelling-the-myths-about-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, MEA
@charles shepherd i know you work where you can with the press to get accurate information out about ME. I'm not sure what paid/volunteer resources MEA have got for Press/PR work. Maybe something you have already but if not would it be a good idea to get a smal team of volunteers together to scan the media for dubious and negative content like this and proactively approach outlets to highlight concerns and seek to place accurate content to counterbalance.
 
Messages
10
Several more comments have been posted on this article, all bar one critical. The editor of the website (or section of it) has responded with an invitation to contribute towards another article on ME and HR/occupational health. Any takers?