Professor Wessely: please give this lady Emergency CBT ...

CBT - Computer Behavioural Therapy

Someone kindly mailed me the following:

HOW TO START EACH DAY WITH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it 'Professor CBT'.
3. Send it to the Recycle Bin.
4. Empty the Recycle Bin.
5. Your PC will ask you: 'Do you really want to get rid of ' Professor CBT?'
6. Firmly Click 'Yes'.
7. Feel better ....?

Zombie science: A sinister consequence of evaluating scientific theories purely on the basis of enlightened self-interest

By: Professor Bruce Charlton, Editor-in-Chief of Medical Hypotheses; Emeritus Professor of Public Policy at the University of California and Reader in Evolutionary Psychiatry at the University of Newcastle (UK).

"Although the classical ideal is that scientific theories are evaluated by a careful teasing-out of their internal logic and external implications, and checking whether these deductions and predictions are in-line-with old and new observations;

the fact that so many vague, dumb or incoherent scientific theories are apparently believed by so many scientists for so many years is suggestive that this ideal does not necessarily reflect real world practice.

In the real world it looks more like most scientists are quite willing to pursue wrong ideas for so long as they are rewarded with a better chance of achieving more grants, publications and status. The classic account has it that bogus theories should readily be demolished by sceptical (or jealous) competitor scientists.

However, in practice even the most conclusive ‘hatchet jobs’ may fail to kill, or even weaken, phoney hypotheses when they are backed-up with sufficient economic muscle in the form of lavish and sustained funding.

And when a branch of science based on phoney theories serves a useful but non-scientific purpose, it may be kept-going indefinitely by continuous transfusions of cash from those whose interests it serves.

If this happens, real science expires and a ‘zombie science’ evolves.

Zombie science is science that is dead but will not lie down. It keeps twitching and lumbering around so that (from a distance, and with your eyes half-closed) zombie science looks much like the real thing. But in fact the zombie has no life of its own; it is animated and moved only by the incessant pumping of funds.

If zombie science is not scientifically-useable – what is its function?

In a nutshell, zombie science is supported because it is useful propaganda to be deployed in arenas such as political rhetoric, public administration, management, public relations, marketing and the mass media generally.

It persuades, it constructs taboos, it buttresses some kind of rhetorical attempt to shape mass opinion.

Indeed, zombie science often comes across in the mass media as being more plausible than real science; and it is precisely the superficial face-plausibility which is the sole and sufficient purpose of zombie science."

The above abstract can also be read here

More from Professor Bruce Charlton:

“This is ‘enlightened self-interest’ a powerful factor in scientific evaluation because the primary criterion of the ‘validity’ of a theory is whether or not acting upon it will benefit the career of the scientist;

“Theories may become popular or even dominant purely because of their association with immediate incentives and despite their scientific weaknesses”.

If you want to read the whole article by Margaret Williams with a large number of more quotes from Professor Bruce Charlton and some utter silliness about CFS, for example comparing it with anorexia nervosa, whoch is what the CBT gang are planning, to give the idea that CFS is a psychiatric disease, now doesn’t that remind me of the way the RCGP went about their business and then later came back as dishonesty and misleading are not on the list of duties of a doctor as defined by the GMC.

But apparently psychiatrists are not ruled by the GMC nor have they sworn the Hippocratic oath…………

You can read Margaret’s article here….

And what did the professor say:

“it is precisely the superficial face-plausibility which is the sole and sufficient purpose of zombie science.”

And when he talks about the ‘enlightened self-interest’ which is a powerful factor in the world of CBT as we all bloody well know and by the way, is he actually talking about the the real Functional Bullshit Syndrome as defined by the doctors when they talked about Functional Symptoms in their ACNR article ??

And how would Mr Clarkson solve this problem? Well very simple actually, he would ….

Psychiatrist in diar need of money and attention ...

Functional Symptoms in Neurology: Diagnosis and Management, or how to lie to patients ...

Source: ACNR • VOLUME 4 NUMBER 6 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2005

“What should we call these symptoms?

There is a baffling array of terms, to list a few:

1. ‘nonorganic’,
2. ‘psychogenic’,
3. ‘hysterical’,
4. ’somatisation’,
5. ‘conversion disorder’ and (the title we were given for this review)
6, ‘unexplained neurological symptoms’.

We prefer the old term ‘functional’ symptoms because:

(a) it doesn’t offend the patient by implying their symptoms are ‘all in the mind’;

(b) it sidesteps unhelpful and illogical dualistic debates about whether symptoms are in the mind or the brain;

(c) functional imaging studies are beginning to discover the neural correlates for some symptoms;

(d) neurologists can diagnose them reliably and on positive criteria; and

(e) it provides a useful explanation to the patient for why things have gone wrong (‘Your nervous system is not damaged but it is not functioning properly’)”

“the misdiagnosis rate at follow up for patients with functional neurological symptoms in modern case series is consistently under 10% and usually around 5%. This is the same rate as for other neurological and psychiatric conditions such as MS and schizophrenia. When neurologists do get it wrong, gait and movement disorders and patients with a psychiatric history (probably because this biased the diagnosis) figure disproportionately.”

1. Indicate you believe the patient: “I do not think you are making up or imagining your symptoms”

11. Making the psychiatric referral: ‘I don’t think you’re mad but Dr X has a lot of experience and interest in helping people to manage and overcome their symptoms’”

Before I give KAZOOM a chance to respond just a few minor details.

"It doesn’t offend the patient by implying their symptoms are ‘all in the mind’, that just makes me laugh. Lying to patients who know damn well they have a physical problem and then saying it is all in your mind, you have false illness beliefs and more quackery terms. And we should be happy ......

Yes of course people go to a neurologist when they have a problem and they are worried that they have a braintumour or so. But they are very happy once the scan comes back normal, or do they suffer from Functional Bullshit Syndrome as well guys ????

A few years ago there was a survey from a MS organisation. On average it took 1-3 years before patients were diagnosed with MS in this day of we know it all technology.

In those 1-3 years these patients suffered from:

1. silly docs
2. and diagnosis like Functional Symptoms untill someone got their act together.
3. and they were right, they did have a major problem ... called MS and not Functional Bullshit Syndrome ....

Furthermore, in 2005 a scientist called Hugo Vrienken demonstrated that brain tissue from MS patients that looks normal on a MRI scan is already diseased if you use quantative MRI scanning and if you compared scans from MS patients that were deemed abnormal with normal MRI scanning, than with his technique one could demonstrate that the disease had progressed a lot further and that so called healthy brain tissue on a normal MRI scan was already diseased.

So wakey wakey guys from the functional brigade.

But I know, it is a lot nicer to use the old terms like hysteria etc for MS….

Furthermore, if we misdiagnose 5% that is one in twenty guys. So if I assume that these figures are correct, and I don’t but that is another issue, as these docs just never fail to amaze me with their we know it all attitude, than lets talk motor racing.

If every one in twenty refuelling pit stops goes wrong, as that is what we talk about, then we would have a DRIVER burning at every GP as we have twenty cars in a race.

If all of them stop twice then we have two cars burning with drivers, mechanics etc involved. I know we’ve had problems with the refuelling rigs but one in twenty is way too much guys.

A bit like a surgeon cutting off the wrong leg or breast in every 20th patient he operates on. Not good news I would think, but normal practice in neurology…

And the result is that for years you are treated as a malingering sod yet the docs were blatantly wrong.

Will they apologise, well I don’t think so either………..

And then there is:” functional imaging studies are beginning to discover the neural correlates for some symptoms” so more and more we start to find out that these patients actually do have a physical problem but we as docs are too daft too ….

Just remember Celiac disease for which we have a bloodtest, yet it still takes an average of FIVE years to diagnose the disease.

90% of patients have bloodtests and one in THREE sees a consultant and has an endoscopy. All were negative so they had a functional problem for FIVE years (on average, so it could be SIX, SEVEN or more years of seeing a psychiatrist talking at you instead helping the cells in your GUT !!!).

They all have to see a psychiatrist until a smart doc decides to do the right blood test.

Suddenly these malingering sods, become patients who have been right all the time that they have a physical problem. We solve it with a gluten free diet, and not psycho therapy. I know, just a minor detail…..

Anyway, I will leave the commentating to KAZOOM.

And what does KAZOOM have to say about this: Well 2 things actually:
First of all he talks about:

Appointment - Functional Neurological Symptoms



And then:

I knew It was Coming But I am So Mad !!



Now A.J. Allmendinger; who was driving a Champcar, and not an F1 car, that runs on Methanol with fuel hoses etc that never leak, has kindly offered his help to show what happens if the figures of these docs are right and we would have a burning patient and his family etc until the docs sort their business out.

Inside the patient something like this is happening but I agree, it is all part of our imagination, malingering, hysteria and false illness beliefs but we don’t want to offend the patient so we would call this Functional Neurological Symptoms. And that is what is happening here to Allmendinger and his team, just watch and you will see a Functional Invisible Methanol fire, yet it is out there ….



Oh, and if you want to read the whole article, than you can download that here ……….

CBT lesson Three, yes it does work, just watch this ...

Some say that we have finally found the one and only person on this planet to have benefitted from CBT, others say that CBT for people with ME helps to learn how to cope with silly psychiatrists who benefit from the millions meant for proper research and finding a treatment for a neurologocal illness, but all we know is that you should NOT watch THE GIRL!!!!

Let me repeat myself, you should watch the guy on the left, as he has been the one and only person on this planet treated succesfully with CBT, as you can see for yourself.

But do NOT watch THE GIRL!!!! You have been warned …… Oh, and by the way, this animation was send to me by a LADY !!!! And let me repeat myself one more time to protect your well being, You have to watch the guy on the left, NOT THE GIRL!!!!

Under our skin, the untold story ...

Source: Under our skin, the untold story

"A dramatic tale of microbes, medicine and money, this eye-opening film investigates the untold story of Lyme disease, an emerging epidemic larger than AIDS. Each year thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, told that their symptoms are "all in their head."

Following the stories of patients and physicians as they battle for their lives and livelihoods, the film brings into focus a haunting picture of our health care system and its ability to cope with a silent terror under our skin."

And no, I haven't seen the film yet but I do know that only in 25% of patients with Lyme's disease they get the so called BULL'S EYE rash a few days after being bitten by an infected tick. The rash can last for weeks.

Yet a few years ago there was an article in a medical journal about one or two eight year old children who were unwell and were admitted to hospital with a high fever and a one sided facial paralysis but all tests came back normal.....

Until they checked for Lyme's disease. And when asked, neither the parents nor the children had noticed a tick nor a rash at any stage prior .....

And yes I know that there are still many docs that think that without this rash you can't have this disease.

Worse, many physicians still deny the existence of a chronic syndrome yet if you just read the following from Wikipedia you will understand that even though Wikipedia denies this chronic syndrome that it must exist. Just have a read:

"For early cases, prompt treatment is usually curative.However, the severity and treatment of Lyme disease may be complicated due to late diagnosis, failure of antibiotic treatment, and simultaneous infection with other tick-borne diseases."

We also know from ME forums etc that there are quite a few people out there who have been diagnosed with CFS or ME and were offered silly CBT until a doc checked for Lyme's disease....

And I don't know the little Borrelia gang as you can't see them with the naked eye, but I do not think that they will do a runner if they hear a psycho boy talk dirty, sorry, I meant if they hear a psycho boy do his CBT talk.

Professor CBT telling the world why his research is all ...

Doctors and greed ...

Source: CASSIA.org

“Dr. Bleiweiss was a good doctor. He was also my doctor. ...And friend to many who suffered from lyme. He, too, was a lyme sufferer, and as a result, knew this illness intimately.

He was one of the early pioneers of correct lyme treatment (which is to say that there is a long-term component to this infection, and that it needs to be treated as such—usually with long term antibiotic treatment.) Because of this he ran into intense opposition from the insurance community, and then as a result, from some within the medical community.

Well, it’s now come to pass that it’s understood that he was correct (by most, at least). And there are now a number of doctors who will treat lyme as a long-term illness. But early on, he was viewed as one whose opinions and practices regarding this needed to be squelched quickly. As I believe it happened, the insurance community sought supporters in the medical community.

The Board of New Jersey’s Medical Examiners brought him under investigation (for over prescribing). They used as support—against her will—one of his former patients. And ultimately, he faced the loss of his medical license.

During this period, I believe the stresses of these events contributed to marital challenges. And, shortly after this, one morning, the local newspaper in his city — irresponsible as newspapers commonly show themselves to be — did a front page "smear" article of him.

At the culmination of these events, later that morning, he chose to take his life. It is for this very reason that one will commonly find that the lyme community is highly reluctant to give the names of good doctors over the internet. Dr. Bleiweiss was not the only target. Other doctors have also found themselves suddenly defending their medical licenses.

The medical community has polarized over this issue: There are some (and they are in fact "published" in this opinion) who advocate to all the world that all lyme is treated in 4-6 weeks. Anything that remains (in this mis-guided opinion) is hypochondriacal and needs to be treated psychiatrically. Further, there are now a body of doctors who quote these published M.D.'s, leading to the further physical and social damage that results from the non-recognition of lyme.

On another hand, there are a large group of doctors who recognize that lyme does indeed exist in the chronic state, and therefore need to be treated as such — long term. It's my hope that these are now in large enough number to see an end of some of the types of persecutions as described above.

One would normally assume the scientific medical establishment to be universally in pursuit of ultimate medical truth, and that the community, as a whole, would and should be in accord on major issues regarding health. This is not, however, the case with lyme; and the "camps" are so diametrically opposed that it leaves us only trying to wonder what dark force could be behind such persistent conflict.

In my own mind, I have no doubt — it's greed.”

Now that sounds familiar doesn't it ???

CBT lesson two: how to complain ...

Yes I know that I have used this picture before. But the last few days something amazing has happened. You see, first I was really annoyed, then I almost fell out of bed laughing as the CBT GANG had complained about my BLOG.

As you know, in this free and democratic world you are not allowed to express other thoughts and ideas than those based on silly CBT for neurological illnesses.

Why did I start laughing, well that is quite simple. As you all know I am and have been bedridden now with this delightful ME Chappie for years, but apparently I pose a threat to the CBT Millions.

By complaining they actually made my day. Because it means that I am right ....... Thanks guys.............

Oh, and maybe you like a proper session of CBT, by the Clarkman himself. A lot better than your CBT which is just as useful as watching the hairs grow on the face of a CBT fanatico .....