Thread by @8Homeslice8

@MEwarrior_au @GrisjaG @amyismall @AnilvanderZee And yes that's a really good point for doctors to know too. Most ME patients are traumatised by feeling neglected, stigmatised, mistreated etc. by healthcare professionals. So actually GPs could really help be addressing that explicitly. They could ask about it, and state that 1/

@MEwarrior_au @GrisjaG @amyismall @AnilvanderZee they will do their best not to abandon/stigmatise/harm the patient, and that they would like the patient to keep in touch so that they can work together, and to tell them if they are feeling traumatised. That would make such a huge & meaningful difference to the patient. 2/2

@MEwarrior_au @GrisjaG @amyismall @AnilvanderZee I should qualify that by saying that I think a lot of doctors don't intend to neglect/traumatise/stigmatise their ME patients and prob don't realise they are doing so. Most UK docs are not taught about ME or are taught incorrect but harmful myths which they perpetuate unknowingly

@MEwarrior_au @GrisjaG @amyismall @AnilvanderZee Some myths include:
There's nothing biologically wrong
It's not serious
It's "false illness beliefs"
It's hypochondriasis
It's a malady of type A personalities
It only affects white middle class young women
It can be fixed with CBT & GET
Antidepressants can help
It's anxiety 1/

@MEwarrior_au @GrisjaG @amyismall @AnilvanderZee It's depression / lack of motivation
It's fear of life
It's malingering
It's a way to get "secondary gains" such as attention and disability benefits
ME patients are militants, abusive, activists etc...
ME patients are difficult people
Exercise can't harm people with ME
2/

@MEwarrior_au @GrisjaG @amyismall @AnilvanderZee It can be overcome with positive thinking
It's a functional disorder
Patients just need a "boost"
Symptoms will reduce if you focus on them less
There's nothing I can do as a GP to help
It's not a real disability so they don't need equipment, social care etc.
It's just tiredness

@MEwarrior_au @GrisjaG @amyismall @AnilvanderZee A gradual return to pre-illness activity is possible for most or all ME patients
We don't know anything about what causes ME or how to treat it

...

ALL of the above are myths which doctors can hold and which harm ME patients, even though the doctor doesn't mean to cause harm

@MEwarrior_au @GrisjaG @amyismall @AnilvanderZee The way to address this is for doctors to do some CPD on ME using newer resources such as the CDC website, 2015 Institute of Medicine report "Beyond Myalgic Encephalomyelitis" which reviewed >9000 pieces of research, and this free 1 hour CPD course:
studyprn.com/p/chronic-fati…