Is it appropriate for psychiatrists to switch from "the old paradigm
in which diseases or complaints were considered to be either somatic or
psychogenic in origin" to "The New Pardigm" in which they consider that
illnesses are "not primarily psychological" yet still employ a
psychological model anyway?
Sufferers of CFS/ME have struggled for years to overcome the intransigence
of psychologizers who based their conceptual model of the illness on
"maladaptive behaviors" and "disordered thinking" only to watch these very
psychologizers switch smoothly from "Old Paradigm" into the New Paradigm
without any retraction of their former beliefs and without any apology for
the damage they have created - and without changing their methods.
The frustration contained in the phrase "Doctors just don't get it" is due
to the utter inability of doctors to develope an appropriate mental
picture of the illness.
Now it appears that CFS/ME sufferers must overcome the intransigence of
psychologizers who clearly state that they believe this is "not primarily
psychological" but fully intend to continue to use a psychological model
for treatment until further notice.
Sufferers of CFS/ME want approaches that arise from a "correct" model of
illness rather than one that even the therapists admit is inappropriate,
and isn't this what it's all about?
-Erik Johnson
Rapid Response:
The New Paradigm
Is it appropriate for psychiatrists to switch from "the old paradigm in which diseases or complaints were considered to be either somatic or psychogenic in origin" to "The New Pardigm" in which they consider that illnesses are "not primarily psychological" yet still employ a psychological model anyway?
Sufferers of CFS/ME have struggled for years to overcome the intransigence of psychologizers who based their conceptual model of the illness on "maladaptive behaviors" and "disordered thinking" only to watch these very psychologizers switch smoothly from "Old Paradigm" into the New Paradigm without any retraction of their former beliefs and without any apology for the damage they have created - and without changing their methods.
The frustration contained in the phrase "Doctors just don't get it" is due to the utter inability of doctors to develope an appropriate mental picture of the illness.
Now it appears that CFS/ME sufferers must overcome the intransigence of psychologizers who clearly state that they believe this is "not primarily psychological" but fully intend to continue to use a psychological model for treatment until further notice.
Sufferers of CFS/ME want approaches that arise from a "correct" model of illness rather than one that even the therapists admit is inappropriate, and isn't this what it's all about? -Erik Johnson
Competing interests: None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests