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CBT and GET The patients have their say

G

Gerwyn

Guest
I wonder if anyone would care to post their own personal experiences with CBT and GET.My CBT therapist left my house in tears!My legs wern't working but my brain(at that time ) was!
 

blackbird

caged.
Messages
100
Location
UK
I would have been on the NHS CBT/GET program but I didn't take them up on it.

I doubt I'm the only one, and though it can't be said for certain, what are the chances that I'd be added to their positive stats, but might have been worse if I'd actually followed a GETprogram?
 

Min

Guest
Messages
1,387
Location
UK
The 25% have their own statistics somewhere based on their GET & CBT questionaire, but I can't find them.


CBT & GET made me bedbound for weeks at a time when I had three children under 11. The psychologist doing it was totally inflexible, she said I was to follow her daft & dangerous advice however much pain I was in and however tired I was.One of the things I was supposed to do was walk up a slightly increased incline each day - the numpty never said where I was supposed to find one, especially as I could/can hardly walk at all.

I have refused to do these dreadful 'treatments' again ever since. They are based on cruelty and a total lack of understanding of our illness.
 
Messages
77
Location
Leicestershire, England.
I wonder if anyone would care to post their own personal experiences with CBT and GET.My CBT therapist left my house in tears!My legs wern't working but my brain(at that time ) was!

I've been seeing a cbt/get therapist. She said I didn't seem to need CBT as I'm very positive.. But I kept throwing information at her and refuting her claims that it's just deconditioning and illness beliefs perpetuating the illness. Seeing these figures has just been the final nail in the coffin really. I knew alot about the bad-doings about GET before, but wanted to give it a try atleast. But it hasn't helped, and I can't even keep with the routine they place. Doing walks everyday wipes me out at this level of m.e/cfs.
 

Hope123

Senior Member
Messages
1,266
The results of 10 surveys are listed at: http://sacfs.asn.au/news/2009/09/09_20_adverse_reactions_to_get.htm with another one in the comments.

Thanks for the surveys, Tom. I think it might be intersting to highlight the 1999 CFIDS Association to Jspotila in light of talk over the GET/CBT on their site. I don't know if people on the CAA are aware of these results; in any case, it might be intersting for them to redo the survey since the last was 10 years ago?
 

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
Thanks for the surveys, Tom. I think it might be intersting to highlight the 1999 CFIDS Association to Jspotila in light of talk over the GET/CBT on their site. I don't know if people on the CAA are aware of these results; in any case, it might be intersting for them to redo the survey since the last was 10 years ago?
It could be useful alright but I'll leave it to others to suggest it to them.
ETA: I see you've done that - great.
 

Orla

Senior Member
Messages
708
Location
Ireland
T-Shirt

I saw this on another forum and thought it was funny

basic_raglan_sport_baseball_t_shirt-p2355077432592956320gn_400.jpg
 

rebecca1995

Apple, anyone?
Messages
380
Location
Northeastern US
I wonder if anyone would care to post their own personal experiences with CBT and GET.My CBT therapist left my house in tears!My legs wern't working but my brain(at that time ) was!

Gerwyn, that sounds like quite a story! Tell us more. What did you say to him or her?

Tears--that's pretty good! All I ever managed was making my doctor flinch once. :D :D
 

Mithriel

Senior Member
Messages
690
Location
Scotland
The psychologist carefully explained to me that anxiety was nothing to be ashamed of, that lots of people get anxious. She said even she got anxious at times. I asked her why I was in a wheelchair and she wasn't. She said "I don't think this is going to get anywhere" and I never got another appointment :Retro smile:

Mithriel
 

Dr. Yes

Shame on You
Messages
868
I asked her why I was in a wheelchair and she wasn't. She said "I don't think this is going to get anywhere" and I never got another appointment :Retro smile:

Mithriel

She was right! It would not have gotten anywhere due to your level of 'resistance'. I have tried very hard to reduce my resistance. I have tried to stop being sarcastic, for instance, as psychologists hate sarcasm - it is the number one sign of resistance. When I stop being sarcastic, I find I am much more open to suggestions from the psychologist, and much less stubborn. I even managed to overcome my false beliefs and tried to walk as commanded, but apparently there is one force more stubborn than false beliefs or sarcasm -- gravity! Gravity is a big problem for me, but I hope to overcome it in the future, working closely with a psychiatrist.
 
Messages
54
My experience is from a slightly different perspective. I have seen a number of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers over the years, not for CFS, which I knew was clearly not a psychological condition, but for anxiety and depression. You'd think they'd be better at treating actual psychological conditions, but no, that was not my experience.

I was subjected to CBT, which I only found maddening, insulting and infuriating. The purpose of CBT is to correct mistaken beliefs and negative thought patterns that are exacerbating whatever mental or other anguish one might be experiencing. The idea is that no matter how awful one's mental, emotional, or even physical symptoms may be, one might feel a little better emotionally by seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty. That's fine as far as that goes, and it could even be helpful to someone with CFS because we know the disease takes a heavy emotional toll.

But my issue with CBT is that it is fundamentally condescending. I am a very logical person, and I don't have distorted beliefs. I am anxious and depressed because my life is damn difficult, thank you very much (in addition to CFS, I also have Asperger's Syndrome). I am also not easily persuaded or manipulated into changing my thinking, which, negative though it may be, is unfortunately accurate.

Add to this the fact that I did mention to the therapists that I have CFS, and both of the ones I saw most recently actually told me that I was using it as an excuse to not deal with my life!!!!! These were well-meaing professionals, but this is what the psychological establishment believes.

I have never been subjected to GET. I did have a primary care doc, who knew I had CFS, tell me about ten years ago that I should exercise. I told her I already did a lot more exercise than I could handle just trying to get through the day, and she said point blank that exercising is always helpful. I was so incredulous I said, "Really? If you have the flu does it help to get up out of bed and exercise?"
 
G

Gerwyn

Guest
Gerwyn, that sounds like quite a story! Tell us more. What did you say to him or her?

Tears--that's pretty good! All I ever managed was making my doctor flinch once. :D :D

I kept asking her to define her terms and kept reframing her questions drove her nuts!