Lightning Process - discussion thread

Another excellent interview by Scot Simpson. Joan McParland deserves a medal for what she has achieved despite being so badly afflicted by ME.

 

For once a pwme Was awarded a medal for their work, 2023:


https://www.s4me.info/threads/me-patient-campaigner-joan-mcparland-has-been-awarded-an-mbe.33732/

'Congratulations to the indefatigable Joan McParland on her newly-announced MBE*

"Mrs Joan Elizabeth McParland, For services to People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis & to their Families & Carers in Northern Ireland"

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/p...ecipients-to-receive-awards-full-list-4185650

*Member of the Order of the British Empire'

 

I was quite alarmed to see the following in a letter from the NHS Long Covid clinic I have been attending for the past year (they have not been much help). From the NHS! I replied with feedback that I did not think it was appropriate to promote these programs and shared articles criticising their practices.

"Consider looking into the below mentioned websites. https://lightningprocess.co.uk/lightning-process/ DNRS program Retraining The Brain with the Dynamic Neural Retraining System"

 

I guess whilst you’re still involved with them you may not wanna get into an official complaint. But this deserves one.

Could you maybe share screenshots elsewhere anonymously so there’s a record of it and which trust it is out there. I think it would really help patients argue for an overhaul of the pathways for LC if it gets out that this is the current offer from the NHS or certain branches of it at least.


Why don’t they suggest a quick online search for the any nonsense out there, why do these particular peddlers get the endorsement?

What sets them apart, is it like endorsing branded baked beans as opposed to supermarket ones, or something?

What are the financial calculations if you go off and waste money on this bullshit that’s a couple of months that you won’t be troubling our local health authority for treatments?

 

There's a damn horse in the damn hospital and the jackasses who let it loose are still wasting their time on barn door designs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhkZMxgPxXU

 

I believe this results from using Xitter too much, I call it Xitteritis.

 

Adverse reaction following the Lightning Process shared today on my FB page

Because participants are programmed to say they are well and not mention symptoms & impairments, positive testimonials are very unreliable

 

I fear for the patients with ignorant carers and families. Not everyone will get help to be ‘deprogrammed’. It’s horrible to hear what she went through..

 

There have been some quite perturbing stories on Bluesky recently of people being cajoled into undergoing the LP by NHS clinicians; there seems to be one centre in Scotland, in Glasgow, that routinely pushes this, but they're not the only one. Hope the charities & advocacy organisations are aware of these reports and are making complaints to the relevant bodies; it isn't just against the NICE guideline, it's also blatantly unethical.

Spoiler: Various Bluesky posts

└─ [Michiel | @murtoz.bsky.social] [2025-03-04T22:09:03.476Z]
I was offered the Lightning Process by NHS Scotland in 2022 *after* NICE updated its guidelines. This was at the glasgow centre for integrative care.

I asked my GP to refer me, figured it would be helpful to have some support. Fully expecting mindfulness & meditation, but not the LP.

1/
├─ [Michiel | @murtoz.bsky.social] [2025-03-04T22:12:18.723Z]
│ In my first consultation, via video call, the consultant spent the whole hour telling me how my ME is my nnervous system being upset and then trying to hard sell the LP ("unique opportunity, normally it costs 1000s, but hurry, places are filling up quick", etc)
│
│ 2/
│ └─ [Michiel | @murtoz.bsky.social] [2025-03-04T22:15:18.235Z]
│ Thankfully I was aware of the LP and the fact the NICE guidelines explicitly state it should not be offered to pwME, but I was so shocked with it all that I didn't push back.
│
│ When I didn't readily accept her offer, she told me to "do my own research" (using links she provided!!)
│
│ 3/
│ └─ [Michiel | @murtoz.bsky.social] [2025-03-04T22:17:43.907Z]
│ and then proceeded to tell me "Don't look on the ME charity web sites, for some reason they don't want you to get better."
│
│ Never spoke to them again after that call. Spoke with an ME charity but since scotgov had not yet ratified the nice guidelines, there wasn't much that they could do...
│
│ 5/
│ └─ [Michiel | @murtoz.bsky.social] [2025-03-04T22:21:05.739Z]
│ But she was so insistent and if I hadn't had prior knowledge of the LP I might well have gone along with it and be much worse off than I am now
│
│ Shockingly I think they are still offering this.
│
│ And this is exactly why our government should #FundThePlan so this abuse can finally stop.
└─ [@lifeatthewindow.bsky.social] [2025-03-05T03:22:32.799Z]
They’re still offering it at that centre

...

└─ [Something Chronic | @somethingchronic.bsky.social] [2025-03-04T21:55:27.460Z]
I had an NHS physio try to recruit me into the Lightening Process – even showed me meetings on the website. I think they saw me as ‘in need’ or ‘vulnerable’. Luckily I was already aware it was a scam but I think it’s shocking the person abused their position like that, even if they believed in it.
└─ [Michiel | @murtoz.bsky.social] [2025-03-04T22:25:19.155Z]
Exactly the same experience, except it was an NHS consultant. She had just gotten LP certified and gave me an hour long hard sell of how it was all just stress and I should be doing the LP. I was so shocked I couldn't even push back during the call.

This is exactly why labour should #FundThePlan

 

A reply:

Mads
‪@blueforpwme.bsky.social‬
Meant to add that I also tried the LP back in 2010/11 and felt like a superhero for a few weeks then crashed badly with awful flu symptoms, fever, swollen lymph nodes etc

https://bsky.app/profile/blueforpwme.bsky.social/post/3ljn5ypzyl22s

 

Saw this published in two locations. Weird advertorial masquerading as news, featuring a GP who claims her daughter recovered from ME/CFS/LC with the LP and became a coach herself. Hard not to see the strong parallels with QAnon and the conspiracy fantasy rabbit holes, it reads exactly the same to me.

How the Lightning Process gave my daughter her life back
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/ot...ss-gave-my-daughter-her-life-back/ar-AA1AVLjO

 

This part always gets me.

I’m glad her daughter is doing better, but I’m so tired of the gaslighting..