Is the program useful for heavily symptomatic sufferers?

[Konnor]

Hi there,

I was just wondering whether it's worth trying this therapy when one has significant physical symptoms that are overlapping with the psycological aspect?

I personally suffer from adrenal exhaustion, liver congestion/a feeling of toxicity and many gut problems, most notably constipation. Like so many I have been given the all clear by conventional medicine and contrastingly pretty much every alternative diagnosis under the sun. My body, mind and history tell me a previous high stress lifestyle, very poor diet high in sugar (I developed hypoglycemia) and an extremely sensitive type A personality were the causes of my sickness. I am under the guidance of a practitioner for the adrenals, which I believe to be the most important part, and interestingly this appears to be a key link in the Gupta program.

From a psycological aspect I suffer most significantly from negative thoughts, isolation, too much visual stimuli and a lack of patience. In many scenarios this has sabotaged any approaches I have made to ease the physical symptoms as I often jump from supplement to supplement or frequently 'allow' myself to do this or that knowing for well it's likely to be detrimental, i.e. overeat (I'm actually significantly underweight and fear, depression and anxiety often lead me to eat too much and put too much strain on my digestion, leaving me worse off).

A few questions...

- Might this be a good complementary program to any nutritional/physical program?
- Might it be able to aid with visual stimuli reliance? As I'm so tired I often resort to the computer or TV, as well as my job being computer based. This is often what I do all day everyday and I seemingly don't have the patience, drive or energy to do anything else. If you were to take away my computer for an evening I literally wouldn't know what to do as my mind is quite 'jumpy'.
- Does it help dissolve/retrain long standing fears? For example I know my weight is low and that this is a result of my poor digestion and low energy and there is nothing immediate I can do about it. Again also a patience thing.

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

Many thanks,

[Kiwi]

Hi


I think that the problem is useful to most people. But in especially severe cases, one possibly needs competent coaching. That is my personal opinion. Sometimes one is not strong enough to see where and why negativity most hits, or you just need someone else to help you think through your daily structure or discuss what goes through your mind.

My best wishes (I got from around 5-10 to around 40-50 on the CFS Skala so far, but it took me months and years to get there).

Kiwi

[kenvj]

Well its a bit like saying "my headache is a lot worse today so will a pain-killer help?"
However from what you have said you seem to spend a massive amount of time on a computer - you could find that the computer is your problem. Have a look at this http://mindblog.dericbownds.net/2008/01 ... reath.html
It could be your problem. Years ago I played the piano - I had to stop playing because of intense fatigue and other problems - and it was holding my breath when playing that was the cause. Check it out.

[caro16]

HI Konnor,

I have read your post asking if the Programme might help you. I do think it would help you because it is designed specially for C.F.S., and Gupta has had the illness himself and he knows about isolation, visual stimuli, lack of patience and he describes how we feel. He then sets about helping us to 'calm our minds'. This is done in a variety of ways, but you have to keep doing them, to make our mind learn a different (calmer) way of governing our body.

One we are calm of mind, (as Gupta explains in the Programme) we can then see things more clearly, make more logical decisions, enjoy life more, understand what we should and should not be doing.

For example, you may want to time yourself on the computer, limit it. I have had to look at my diet and realise I was eating when I felt lonely, and I've had to address this. Once the mind is aware and calm, we can only then begin to sort out the problems in a 'less jumpy' way.

I do think you should try the programme. It will help. I am doing it, but at this stage I am not finding it to be a cure, just a lifestle adjustment, a positive step to a calmer me. Go for it.

[Konnor]

Thanks Caro16 for that very informative and relevant response.

I have since purchased the DVD's and have found what I've seen so far to be uplifting and useful.

The work now comes down to me, and to adjust it to my circumstances, which is a daunting task. My first few days implementing the stop technique were flooded with twitchy, negative and symptom thoughts throughout the exercise and almost immediately after despite attempting to move to a distraction. I've yet to really try putting the effort in to repeat the exercise with every thought and need to work out what best will work for me at work when in front of a computer, often stimulating thoughts constantly.

Ashock is quite positive in presenting his method as being almost the only cure you need, however I have such deep physical imbalances such as constant nausea, constipation, fatigue, post nasal drip, hypoglycemia, insomnia, a sluggish liver, poor digestion, candida/leaky gut, anxiety, weight loss, shallow breathing, tight throat and muscles aches. It's so easy to get overburdened with 'where do I start' considering the multiple organ involvement and the 'I've tried everything and give up' based on my experience with many practitioners, orthodox or alternative.

I certainly concede I could think about it all less. It dominates my life. And you’re so right - often mentally falling 'victim' to the symptoms can trigger depression, isolation and illogical choices that have a further impact on the physical, such as making poor food choices, overeating or eating too fast, avoiding activities which you could manage, getting disillusioned too soon with a particular supplement or treatment, or simply adding to stress levels. A balance is needed to accept symptoms if they come on particularly strong whilst not feeling like it's a 'fight' when using the AR training. I've much to learn but hope a calmness and patience will not only help me to get more out of life in the now, regardless of what my body is throwing at me, but also instil a sense of intuition and direction regarding my physical health and what to target, such as having the patience to try one thing a week and monitoring progress rather than expecting instant short term results.

If only I had stumbled across the program as a means of prevention. I quite possibly would have remained fit and healthy to this day. Darn those negative thoughts!

How has it fitted into your personal circumstances if you don't mind me asking?

[caro16]

Konnor,

I don't know whether it is a preventative programme or not. I do not think so myself because people want to live life to the full, and only stop when they become too ill to continue normally.

I can relate to everything you say about the symptoms, poor digestion, insomnia, even post-nasal drip but we all have to remember the Gupta Programme is just a theory. Many people do get better, even after many years, with no intervention at all. I know people who have. Do people attribute the 'cure' to whatever thing they are trying at the time of getting better? Gupta can be quite suggestible too, as it starts us thinking 'Did my family cause this?' and as soon as we start thinking this way it can be a destructive thing. The truth is, had we never become ill, we would be getting on with life, busily, not thinking too much about our problems, not analysing. It's only natural and sensible for us all to question where all this came from, particularly if you have a good family background. I for one, do not really think I am a particularly fearful person, yet, here I am with this strange illness.

We are all so confused about it and trying to make sense of it, but to get back to the point, how does it fit in with my life? Well, I am 3 months into Gupta and it has had a very positive impact on my life. I do it many times a day because I am unable to work. I have found I can calm myself, or at least be more aware of when I'm not calm, then I STOP and rest. My stress levels are now getting under control, I'm calmer, which means I can then address such problems as eating (I eat wrong when stressed), sleeping, making the right decisions about going out or seeing people socially, and I can keep calm in situations I wouldnt before. Up to now I have not had any improvement in my energy levels. I am still limited physically and mentally. But if all the Gupta programme does is help us through life, I am grateful for it.

I am striving to believe it will be a cure, but Konnor, have a look at the thread posted by Tjeed entitled 'a cure or not' and see how many people there have voted a 10 (fully better). No one has to date.

Good luck on the Programme - keep letting us know how you get on. And please vote on the Tjeed questionnaire - vote of 1 to 10 on how you found the programme when you have tried it.