Friday, October 5, 2012

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to treat multiple chemical sensitivities: a randomized pilot trial.

[COMMENT:  Now there is proof of what we've been saying all along! Mindfulness based therapy is helpful for some to cope with MCS, but not to cure it. Gupta Amygdala Retraining, Annie Hopper's Dynamic Neural Retraining, and the Lightning Process are marketed to innocent hopefuls who are often financially insecure and desperate to get well. The fancy packaging makes it seem like they are changing the brain, but evidence shows they are merely well known cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT), mindfulness based programs, and neuro linguistic programming (NLP) strategies. They can't cure MCS or any other disease because MCS is not a coping problem. These programs can only help the few who have trouble coping with MCS to cope with it. We cannot assume that everyone with MCS, or any disease, has challenges coping. Many people have developed excellent coping skills throughout life. Some cope by talking, solving problems, relating to others in the same situation, praying, exercise, meditation, and more. There is no need to pay lots of money to learn a coping strategy, even common mindfulness, CBT, and NLP programs. Theses techniques can easily be found for free and/or are covered by major medical insurance. The proof is in the pudding! No one should merely learn to cope with being ill or be brainwashing into pretending they are not ill. Let's put the fake cures to rest and/or market them as coping strategies for ANY of life's challenges, and get back to researching real treatments for MCS so people can actually get better!]
 
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to treat multiple chemical sensitivities: a randomized pilot trial.
 
Scand J Psychol. 2012 Jun;53(3):233-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9450.2012.00950.x. Epub 2012 Apr 25.

Skovbjerg S, Hauge CR, Rasmussen A, Winkel P, Elberling J.
Source
The Danish Research Centre for Chemical Sensitivities, Department of Dermato-Allergology, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Denmark. sinsko01@geh.regionh.dk
 
Abstract
Multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) is a medically unexplained and socially disabling disorder characterized by negative health effects attributed to exposure to common airborne chemicals. Currently, there is no evidence-based treatment. The objectives of the study were to assess the feasibility of an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy program (MBCT) for adults with MCS and to evaluate possible effects on psychological distress and illness perception. The study design was a randomized clinical trial. The MBCT programme comprised 8 weekly sessions of 2½ hours. Forty-two adults were screened for eligibility and 37 were included. Mean age of the participants was 51.6 years, 35 (94.6%) were female and 21 (56.8%) were unemployed. Measures of psychological distress and illness perceptions were assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and at 3 months follow-up. No significant differences in effect measures were found between the groups. However, those who completed the MBCT program generally reported benefiting in terms of improved coping strategies and sleep quality. The positive verbal feedback from the participants in the MBCT group suggests that a larger randomized clinical trial on the effect of MBCT for MCS could be considered.

PMID:  23016822  [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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