Has anyone used/ heard of the Lightning Process developed by Phil Parker?
I mention it because a friend of mine has a daughter with chronic fatigue and tried everything with no change until they tried this and they are seeing a response.
From what I glean, the process is about changing patterns of thinking to effect physical changes on the body...it seems to be used for anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue and also mentions ME and fibromyalgia.
There seem to be a spectrum of opinions about it from miraculous cure to commercial cult-like psyhco-babble.
But I think the idea of the neuroscience behind it sound very feasible...especially in light of PMR, that I know my PMR is affected by my stress levels, so trying to change my response to stress could have a huge effect upon my health...and that probably means trying to change my way of thinking. There are also some other studies on the placebo effect to show how there is a molecular level at which the placebo effect works to restore health...and how the mind and how we use it affects our physical health.
I'd be interested to know if anyone has used it.
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Daisyfield
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It seems to be mainly for ME/CFS. There was an article in the British Medical Journal about it, saying it was cultish and secretive. If I remember their website was criticised by advertising standards saying it was misleading, not that that means it does not work. I suppose the only way to find out is to try it as some people, like Esther Rantzen, think it is great for CFS/ME. I do not know of anyone using it for PMR but there may be someone around. I am not sure how much it costs.
The course is very expensive on the website. This friend is very 'sensible' but was at wit's end, and says it seems to be working for her daughter.
I like the idea behind it, but I'm always sceptical if things appear commercial. I suppose it might depend upon your approach to it...not expecting it to be miracle cure but a way of making changes that may improve health.
My mother had ME/CFS, she tried a laying on of hands system at vast expense which she said worked, but it wore off after a while. I think in her case it was the placebo effect, but she was so desperate to help herself. It cost a fortune too! I think in the case of PMR there are probably better things to improve health. I think Lightening Process was based on Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), an American idea which was rather pooh poohed.
I had severe ME for many years, and looked into several alternative mind-body treatments. Phil Parker was clearly a bit of a conman (initially described himself as having been appointed Professor by a College - in fact no college just a room in his house!!) BUT .. the Lightning Process does work for some people, especially those who are young. My opinion is that he is a snake oil salesman who found a snake oil that worked! The process makes sense in challenging anxiety-based beliefs about the illness, my view is that it is less successful for older people who have had much longer experience of being well adults.
Personally I recovered with a different therapy called Reverse Therapy, but again it does not work for everyone. Its theory is that your body is sending you a message and will stay stuck on an extreme stress setting until you change your ways.
There is a remarkable similarity between the physical symptoms of extreme stress and ME, most of the alternative methods draw on this. But it is very much a real illness, not 'all in the mind'. Forcing people to push themselves just makes them more ill.
Yes...I agree ME is a real illness...but I think how stress affects us is very much at hormonal, cellular levels and stress that affects our mind induces physical changes on the body. A bit like PMR...PMR is a real illness, but I wonder if my stress response was a catalyst for PMR to develop, and also exacerbate it.
That's interesting about the Reverse Therapy...I'll google that, thanks.
Perhaps you could get some tips from your friend about what things her daughter needs to do at home as part of the process , and see if you get any benefit from them yourself .
You could also wait until her daughter has finished the Course and see how long it's benefits last before you consider spending money on it yourself.
Therapies can be very expensive , which feels very rotten if you don't get much out of them.
Of course , the Placebo Effect can be very therapeutic in many illnesses , but I always like the idea of trying out different techniques and therapies which involve Mental Training and Relaxation on an introductory level at home first before committing to a Course which may not be of help.
Good Therapists or well acknowledged Courses will usually give you some form of free or taster trial because they are confident in the results that their therapies give .
I have read and heard of people doing well on the Mindbody programme in Suffolk....worth looking up maybe, think you might be able to do it from home if you can't travel....good luck.....
Oh dear, obviously we are all at different stages of illness, whatever it may be...also I think these "processes" need constant going over to get best results....not always possible for everyone, it seems like you have to adapt a different outlook and approach to life....doesn't work for all...….suppose we have to find what works for us, if medical route doesn't work, but some things go hand in hand together, like Bowen etc.....
I have admittedly only taken a short look at the web site, but it looks to me that this person is making a lot of money out of telling people to think positively. CBT would be a lot cheaper and has science behind it. I have to be honest in saying that I would not touch most alt therapy with a barge pole, but again would never tell anyone else what to spend their money on. BUT if this is expensive why not try some fun and positive activities with family and friends first. Even when I have lots of pain and lethargy, if I have a nice invitation to go out I realise half way through that I am feeling much better. I know I am a glass half full sort of person, but I firmly believe that if you can cultivate a positive outlook on life and take joy in what you can achieve rather than dwelling on what you cannot achieve, it helps a lot.
Yep...distraction helps enormously and distracting oneself from any negative internal dialogue is important. I don't think you can ever think away an illness, but you can change the way you feel about it and adopt a more positive attitude towards it. Enjoying small things, like the fresh fig I just ate (39p for 4!!!), Is important. I will go to bed tonight thinking life is good, even if I am flaring and need extra pred. You can't buy attitude. (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)
I am not suggesting that our illnesses are all in the mind (mine certainly isn't), but this 'Lightening' intervention is suggesting that. I am just suggesting that with a bit of support from a friend or a family member, it might be possible to feel a bit better by being able to be positive about what life has dealt us (the laughter and fun treatment: Could I market that),
it worries me that someone could spend a lot of money on something like this and if they are unable to get anything out of it, are they made to feel it is the treatment's fault or theirs??????
Agree, illnesses like fibromyalgia, PMR, ME etc are actual physical illnesses... but the approaches mentioned here by others on this forum, positive mental attitude, enjoying things are along the same lines of what I think the lightning process is doing...that by changing our thinking/ mental attitude etc it can have a significant effects upon our body and therefore our symptoms. So the physical disease isn't in the mind, but that the mind can have a huge effect upon the symptoms of the disease.
I'm naturally skeptical of fads/ commercial therapies, but I think we need a much more holistic look at medicine.......lifestyle, diet, environment etc.
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