Some psychiatrists could use a degree in common sense

Dear Editor,
It is hardly surprising that psychiatrists such as Dr Alastair Santhouse hold the view that ‘treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy and graded exercise therapy have also been shown to work in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalopathy (CFS/ME) and are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence’ and that, therefore, ‘the alternative to treatment is often no treatment at all and this can have a disastrous effect on the patient’ (‘Defeatism undermines treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome’ – IMT, February 26, www.imt.ie/clinical/infections-immunology/defeatism-undermines-treatment.html), because the majority of those who recommended and also practise them are qualified in psychiatry.
In fact, the very latest research review (Twisk and Maes, September 2009) confirms the findings of every previous study – including those of the same people advocating and practising these treatments – that CBT/GET is not only ineffective but potentially harmful for many patients with ME. I think you would only have to be qualified in common sense, therefore, to conclude that it would be preferable to have no treatment than one which does you no good (CBT), or one that may make you worse (GET).
In the meantime, the best care that a person with ME can have is from a sympathetic GP offering support and treatment for symptom relief until a safe, effective treatment is available.
Dr John H Greensmith,
MEFreeForAll.org, Bristol, UK