All About Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue: The Mind/Body Connection

Last night I enjoyed the opportunity to meet and hear Jacob Teitelbaum, MD speak about Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue at the Seattle Public Library. Teitelbaum is the medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Centers and is a patient consultant that specializes in the treatment of these conditions. He also authored From Fatigued to Fantastic among other titles.

The focus of Dr. Teitlebaum's talk was the treatment protocol he refers to as SHIN: Sleep, Hormonal Deficiencies, Infections, and Nutritional Deficiencies. If FMS/CFS are an "energy crisis," Dr. Teitelbaum believes it's possible to turn the circuit breakers back ON. Included in his talk was reference to the Mind/Body connection. Here are the qualities Dr. Teitelbaum tends to see in the psychology of his patients:

Low Self Esteem
Overachiever Seeking Approval Where It's Never Received
Trying to be All Things to All People
Taking Care of Others at the Expense of the Self
Unable to say NO

From my own clinical experience, I agree with his conclusions. I'll take a step further to say that the majority of clients I have seen with a FMS/CFS diagnosis have also lived with chronic stress, often related to childhood neglect or abuse, or due to a sudden traumatic event, and many describe poor attachment to their primary caregivers, a contributing factor to developing chronic stress and the sense of aloneness and uncertainty about oneself and the world.

Naturally, this profile does NOT match everyone diagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue. But it does point to common mind/body aspects of the illness for many people. It also suggests the necessity of a multi-modality approach to healing.

I consistently use the mind/body psychotherapy Lifespan Integration when working with clients with the kind of trauma described above. Lifespan Integration helps to heal past hurts without re-traumatizing. It is especially helpful for relieving anxiety, lifting depression, and helping people re-connect with themselves and their bodies. Mindfulness Meditation also helps to reduce stress and restore people's ability to connect with themselves, and to self soothe. I believe these treatment modalities, when used together with protocols like the SHIN recommendations, can offer a very gentle yet powerful healing.

Thank you, Dr. Teilebaum, for recognizing the deep connection of mind and body in the healing journey from illness to wholeness. It was a pleasure to meet you!