The many ways into ME/CFS

The cause or trigger for the condition varies from case to case. Some of the recognized ones include – viral-type illnesses, bacterial infections, vaccinations, toxins and pesticides and adaptive responses to excessive physical or mental stress.

Whatever triggers the onset of the illness, there is a common factor involved – the system appears to be overwhelmed. ME/CFS then evolves into a complex physiological condition affecting most bodily systems including the immune, neurological, lymphatic, endocrine and musculoskeletal systems.

Diagnosis and treatment

Many sufferers spend a lot of time and effort just to get to the point of a diagnosis. Medical professionals and governments are increasingly recognising the condition as a genuinely debilitating physical illness. However, once diagnosed there is no agreed treatment protocol. This time consuming process of diagnosis and subsequent lack of effective treatment obviously adds to the sufferer’s stress levels, further taxing an already depleted immune system.

Treating mind and body as one

For thousands of years Eastern medicine and philosophy have recognised the connection between mind and body. Their approach to health and healing has centred around the basis of subtle energy and its flow throughout our systems. These principles have been largely ignored until recently by western healing approaches.

The western medical view has looked at the body as more of a faulty machine and attempts to fix it by treating the symptoms rather than looking to the underlying cause. There is also the outdated view of an illness being either of the mind or body, rather than the two being intricately connected and affecting one another.

What do the experts say?

“EFT is a simple, powerful process that can profoundly influence gene activity, health and behaviour.”Dr Bruce Lipton Phd – Cell Biologist

Leading experts in the field of mind/body medicine are proving the connections between and the implications of stress and unresolved emotions on health and disease. Dr Bruce Lipton Phd, in his pioneering work as a cell biologist, describes the inseparable link of mind and body. His work proves the necessity for emotional health to bring about physical health and healing.

What is EFT?

EFT is based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine meridian system – the same system that has been mapped out and used in acupuncture for thousands of years. The main difference being, that with EFT no needles are used. Instead, a series of points on the body are stimulated by tapping with the fingertips.

Whilst the points are being tapped, the recipient focuses on and verbalises, in a very specific manner, a health condition or emotional issue that they are experiencing. This combination of stimulating the points whilst focusing on the issue causes changes within the body’s energy system. The process triggers the release of stored emotions or patterns of illness from the body.

How can EFT help with ME/CFS?

The accumulation of unresolved emotional issues, over time, depletes our energy and compromises our immune system. We all have these unresolved emotions, it’s part of being human. For some people the onset of ME/CFS either coincided with or came shortly after a period of extreme stress or trauma.

“The medicine of the future will include the whole picture: body, mind, and spirit, with a special emphasis on alleviating stress, which is often the result of emotional overload.”Dr Candace Pert PhD Dpt of Physiology & Biophysics, Georgetown University, Washington DC

The experience of having ME/CFS also creates its own emotional drain on the system. The draining effect that these issues have is amplified when the immune and other bodily systems are already challenged as a result of the condition.

Through applying EFT, it has the effect of neutralising these disturbances, allowing the system the opportunity to access a state of self-regulation, which encourages healing. The resolution of these emotional aspects is typically experienced as a direct improvement in health and well-being.

Along with the benefits of using the process to resolve the contributing emotional factors, EFT is also an effective tool for resolving the bodily symptoms of ME/ CFS, including the physical pain that often accompanies the condition. Many people have already successfully used EFT to manage their symptoms during recovery.

EFT is available over the telephone as well as face-to-face?

EFT works really well over the phone. An experienced practitioner is able to home in on core issues and unresolved emotions as easily in this way as in person. The map of tapping points is used by the client to learn the tapping positions and technique prior to the call.

The tapping process itself is easy to learn, it can then also be used between sessions for a simplified form of self-treatment. During the call the therapist gives instructions of where to tap and what to say. This makes the process very effective and convenient.

Is EFT a therapy or a self-help tool?

EFT is both an effective therapy and self-help tool. Through working with an experienced and creative practitioner it is possible to uncover and resolve issues that can be blocking the way to healing. We are often so familiar with our own issues that they become almost invisible to us; this is where the impartial perspective and insight of another party is invaluable.

As part of the therapy process I also teach EFT to my clients and encourage them to use it themselves regularly to resolve day-to-day stresses. By consistently resolving the daily issues that we all face, it is possible to keep stress levels to a minimum allowing us to remain in a healthy balanced state.

Doctors are using EFT?

“Some day the medical profession will wake up and realise that unresolved emotional issues are the main cause of 85% of all illnesses. When they do, EFT will be one of their primary healing tools… as it is for me.”Dr Eric Robins, Board Certified Urologist, Los Angeles, CA

EFT is becoming more commonly used in organisations such as the NHS (National Health Service – UK) and in therapeutic clinics worldwide. Although often combined with other practices, it is highly effective as a stand-alone therapy. Its rising popularity is due to the fact that it has swift and lasting results, often working where nothing else will.

Many leading health professionals in the field of mind-body medicine are suggesting that EFT is likely to be the most important new therapy in modern medicine.