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The Amygdala Retraining Programme by Ashok Gupta
Session 1
It is not possible for me to dissect and cover all of the points in any one section of the Gupta Programme, due to the many points covered. I will begin my review of the Gupta Amygdala Retraining Programme by telling you what led me to this programme and why I have an interest in Ashok Gupta`s work.
I have been a sufferer of CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) since August 1996 after the birth of my second child. I have worked towards gaining a much more relaxed and positive view of the illness for over a year now, I have read many a book about general health and also books about CFS specifically.
A lot of mental and emotional ground has been covered during this time of personal enlightenment but still, the burning questions I most yearned to have answers for regarding my health remained to be the ones I was least likely to find satisfactory answers for.
The main question I asked was simply `Why did I become ill?`
No one in the medical profession has been able to answer my question, nor any other CFS related question I cared to ask. Not only did my questions go unanswered, I found a definite lack of information and support from every aspect of life. I came across brick walls where I felt there should have been `open doors` . The more the medical profession indicated that CFS was in the mind, the less my own family believed in me - I was eventually advised to pull myself together and get over it !!
But what is it I`m to get over ?
Many years ago after a considerable amount of years in being housebound - I applied for Disability Living Allowance to relieve the financial hardship I was under. I was refused financial aid and told by the medical examiner that my symptoms were `fabricated`. I cant tell you how devastated I was that anyone could think I was lying about being ill. Couldn’t they see for themselves that I was struggling to cope with what had happened to our family, let alone the struggle in trying to keep our heads above water. As a result of this episode, I stopped attending the GP and decided it was easier to put up with the illness and all it brought my way, than to listen to someone telling me I wasn’t ill.
In 2001 I discovered my year old son had a life threatening disease and in the following 5 years, the struggle between his health and mine became the only focus in life. We lived each day as it came, made no plans because we didn’t know if we should dare to - Thankfully medication keeps my son relatively well so now is the time to think of getting me well too.
As I now approach my 40th Birthday I am reminded of the age old saying `life begins at 40` - and so here I am about to embark on my New (healthy) life.
And now to the main reason for my review:
My friend (also a CFS sufferer) emailed me a link for Ashok Gupta`s website and asked my opinion about it. After reading the information on the site I got in touch with the Amygdala Retraining Programme Team and stated my interest in the programme. The initial information on the website fits in with my own belief that `something is not working correctly in the brain`. My knowledge is limited, the names and locations of anything inside a head are way above my level of understanding. Until that is, I received the Gupta Programme. Am I allowed to feel proud of my new found medical knowledge? I certainly cant stop smiling …
The pack contains a set of DVDs, a large wall poster and an accompanying book and an audio cd. For the days where your energy levels or eye sight cannot manage reading, don’t worry, the DVD works alongside the book and so either (or both) can be used during a session. Use whichever one you feel able to depending on the extent of your symptoms. Amygdala Retraining is a relaxed programme, it allows for you to work the sessions into your life - not for you to work your life around the programme thus causing added pressure. There is no pressure whatsoever with this programme.
Session 1 is an introduction to the Amygdala Retraining Programme. It takes you through an easy explanation of How to Use the Programme and also tells of Ashok Gupta `s own experiences with CFS
as He too is a sufferer of CFS. For this reason alone I feel a great kinship already to this programme. Ashok Knows how I feel, He knows how you feel. He is now back to full health and I genuinely believe He can point You and I in the same direction. Bearing in mind that most people who become interested in Amygdala Retraining will already have been diagnosed with CFS (also known as M.E / Post Viral Syndrome / Fibromyalgia) and the symptoms will already be hugely apparent to you. Yet if you think that there will be nothing to learn in Session 1, the introduction to the programme, You are very much mistaken. Right from the first sentence there is a valuable education on offer for those wishing to learn.
I cant stress enough how important it is to watch (or read) all of each session. Please do not skip through the sessions, as you will miss so much information that the programme will be of virtually no use to you whatsoever.
If you are too ill to watch the dvd then simply switch it off or pause the dvd until you are ready to resume the session. Disappointment in yourself for not having the energy to complete each session is not part of the programme - It really isn’t a question of `I cant do this now - I`m too ill` - its much more a question of ` I can do this later`
( I am already learning and its only day one of my retraining ) : )
I was quite low on energy this morning and had planned to go back to bed after the school run and sleep the morning away - however I thought it better to give the programme 100% from the start despite this being a low day. I have to confess that the breathing exercise had me nodding off for few moments, I was so relaxed - this was no surprise to me as I do use breathing exercises to control my sleep patterns. It is as simple as pressing a button to back track the dvd to the part where I fell asleep so nothing was lost. The key is to chuckle about it and not to feel annoyed that I drifted off - the exercise involved visualising what I would be doing in 6 months time. I was visualising myself washing my car, riding a bicycle, going for a long country walk and of laughing and smiling a lot - who can blame me for falling asleep ? Who wouldn’t fall asleep after a day as active as that. It was wonderful.
The strange thing being that I woke from the snooze feeling more energetic and so obviously my `future good health` and happiness are already working a treat.
Session 1 ends with the key points of the session. We havent even begun the programme yet - remember my saying this was the introduction?
Im quite excited about what I will learn in Session 2 as I already feel I have learnt so much.
I believe this programme should be made available to All sufferers of CFS via their GP or Consultant - if it were then the initial fears and anxiety surrounding this illness would be alleviated from the point of diagnosis.
Id like to end my review on Session 1 by saying a Thank You to Ashok Gupta for His hard work and determination, and also for the time he has put into researching CFS.
http://www.cfsrecovery.com/
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