Gupta program: Difference between revisions

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Both Brea and Harris criticized the assumption that symptoms were caused by an overactivation/reactivity in the brain that was claimed to be unrelated to the underlying illness, an assumption which is presented as an uncontested fact by the Gupta Programme.<ref name="JenTweets" /><ref name=":1" />
Both Brea and Harris criticized the assumption that symptoms were caused by an overactivation/reactivity in the brain that was claimed to be unrelated to the underlying illness, an assumption which is presented as an uncontested fact by the Gupta Programme.<ref name="JenTweets" /><ref name=":1" />


This belief of "symptoms without disease" is also core part of the [[The 3Ps model|cognitive behavioral model]] of ME/CFS and an hypothesis underlying the use of [[graded exercise therapy]] and the psychosomatic approach to [[Medically unexplained physical symptoms|medically unexplained symptoms]], treatments associated with significant rates of harm. This "not a disease" theory provides justification for the Gupta Programme teaching patients to ignore or minimize their symptoms―despite significant the evidence that ME/CFS has an underlying disease process, and the [[ICD-11|World Health Organization]] classes it as a neurological disease rather than a set of symptoms that may not indicate disease.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://icd.who.int/browse10/2016/en#/G93|title=ICD-10 Version:2016|last=World Health Organization|first=|authorlink=World Health Organization|last2=|first2=|authorlink2=|date=|website=icd.who.int|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2020-09-25}}</ref>
This belief of "symptoms without disease" is also core part of the [[The 3Ps model|cognitive behavioral model]] of ME/CFS and an hypothesis underlying the use of [[graded exercise therapy]] and the psychosomatic approach to [[Medically unexplained physical symptoms|medically unexplained symptoms]], treatments associated with significant rates of harm.<ref name="Nodecisions">{{Cite web|url=http://www.meassociation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015-ME-Association-Illness-Management-Report-No-decisions-about-me-without-me-30.05.15.pdf|title=ME/CFS Illness Management Survey Results - “No decisions about me without me” Part 1|last=|first=|date=May 2015|website=meassociation.org|publisher=ME Association|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref><ref name="OxfordBrookesSurvey">{{Cite web|url =https://www.meassociation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/NICE-Patient-Survey-Outcomes-CBT-and-GET-Final-Consolidated-Report-03.04.19.pdf|title =Evaluation of a survey exploring the experiences of adults and children with ME/CFS who have participated in CBT and GET interventional programmes. FINAL REPORT |last=Oxford Clinical Allied Technology and Trials Services Unit (OxCATTS)|location=Oxford Brookes University|date=Feb 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.actionforme.org.uk/uploads/pdfs/me-time-to-deliver-survey-report.pdf|date=2014|title =Time to deliver: initial findings of Action for ME’s 2014 survey|last=Action for ME|author-link =Action for ME |access-date=Jul 1, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|quote =CBT/GET have been proven to be based on non-science for ME and should be removed from any recommendations in the guideline.|url=http://www.investinme.org/IIMER-Newslet-17-07-04.shtml|title=Response to NICE 10 year surveillance (2017) – Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis|last=Invest in ME Research|first=|authorlink=Invest in ME Research|date=Jul 2, 2017|website=www.investinme.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2019-07-02}}</ref> This "not a disease" theory provides justification for the Gupta Programme teaching patients to ignore or minimize their symptoms―despite significant the evidence that ME/CFS has an underlying disease process, and the [[ICD-11|World Health Organization]] classes it as a neurological disease rather than a set of symptoms that may not indicate disease.<ref name=icd10>{{Cite web|url=https://icd.who.int/browse10/2016/en#/G93|title=ICD-10 Version:2016|last=World Health Organization|first=|authorlink=World Health Organization|last2=|first2=|authorlink2=|date=|website=icd.who.int|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2020-09-25}}</ref>


==See also ==
==See also ==

Revision as of 23:48, September 25, 2020

The Gupta programme or Gupta Amydala Retraining describes itself as a "brain training" or "brain re-wiring" technique designed to alter amygdala and insular activity in order to treat or cure chronic diseases including chronic fatigue syndrome.[1][2] The Gupta programme is based on the amygdala hypothesis of chronic fatigue syndrome, which is unproven and has not been a significant focus of research.[1] The Gupta Programme has previously claimed to treat fibromyalgia and electrical sensitivities as well as ME/CFS.

Evidence[edit | edit source]

Evidence is largely limited to patient self-reports. The British Advertising Standards Authority has upheld complaints about the Gupta Programme being falsely advertised as a treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome/ME, fibromyalgia and "electrical sensitivities" due to the lack of scientific evidence supporting this claim.[2]

Reported harms[edit | edit source]

Some people have reported being harmed by brain training programmes, including Jen Brea, who has ME/CFS, mold-related illness and mast cell activation syndrome, and Ana Harris, who had mold-related illness.[3][4]

Theory[edit | edit source]

Both Brea and Harris criticized the assumption that symptoms were caused by an overactivation/reactivity in the brain that was claimed to be unrelated to the underlying illness, an assumption which is presented as an uncontested fact by the Gupta Programme.[3][4]

This belief of "symptoms without disease" is also core part of the cognitive behavioral model of ME/CFS and an hypothesis underlying the use of graded exercise therapy and the psychosomatic approach to medically unexplained symptoms, treatments associated with significant rates of harm.[5][6][7][8] This "not a disease" theory provides justification for the Gupta Programme teaching patients to ignore or minimize their symptoms―despite significant the evidence that ME/CFS has an underlying disease process, and the World Health Organization classes it as a neurological disease rather than a set of symptoms that may not indicate disease.[9]

See also[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Gupta, Ashok (2002). "Unconscious amygdalar fear conditioning in a subset ofchronic fatigue syndrome patients" (PDF). Medical Hypotheses. 59 (6): 727–735.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Practice, Advertising Standards Authority | Committee of Advertising. "Harley Street Solutions Ltd". www.asa.org.uk. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  3. 3.0 3.1 @jenbrea (February 8, 2018). "I crashed really hard from doing Gupta" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Harris, Ana. "My Brain Retraining Story – Ana Harris Writes". Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  5. "ME/CFS Illness Management Survey Results - "No decisions about me without me" Part 1" (PDF). meassociation.org. ME Association. May 2015. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  6. Oxford Clinical Allied Technology and Trials Services Unit (OxCATTS) (February 27, 2019). "Evaluation of a survey exploring the experiences of adults and children with ME/CFS who have participated in CBT and GET interventional programmes. FINAL REPORT" (PDF). Oxford Brookes University.
  7. Action for ME (2014). "Time to deliver: initial findings of Action for ME's 2014 survey" (PDF). Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  8. Invest in ME Research (July 2, 2017). "Response to NICE 10 year surveillance (2017) – Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis". www.investinme.org. Retrieved July 2, 2019. CBT/GET have been proven to be based on non-science for ME and should be removed from any recommendations in the guideline. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  9. World Health Organization. "ICD-10 Version:2016". icd.who.int. Retrieved September 25, 2020. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)