Gupta Amygdala Retraining and similar programs focus on getting the conscious mind to communicate to the amygdala and limbic system.
By guest blogger Erik Schimek.
The amygdala.
Erik Schimek
First, let me preface this by saying that I’m not trying to defend the specifics of Gupta Amygdala Retraining, nor am I looking for an argument. I’m writing this in the hopes that others may find it helpful. I don’t care whether or not you agree with me, I wish you well on your own path to healing.
What is Gupta Amygdala Retraining?
In brief, Gupta Amygdala Retraining is a series of specific techniques intended to interrupt amygdala-mediated patterns in the brain and slowly reshape these harmful neural pathways.
Ashok Gupta
This new treatment has been developed by Ashok Gupta, a well-known researcher and therapist in the field of ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Ftigue Syndrome), who has dedicated the last 10 years of his life to understanding and treating the condition. He suffered from ME/CFS himself around 10 years ago, and has now been 100% better for many years. He runs a clinic in Harley Street in Central London, where he successfully treats patients with the condition.
Isn’t this just a form of conditioning?
It’s my contention that sensitization is distinct from psychological conditioning. (I have no degree in medicine or psychology, so please take this all with a grain of salt.)
Conditioning involves the association of two stimuli in the brain, through repeated exposure to both stimuli in close succession. This modifies neural pathways in the brain so that they come to associate the two stimuli with one another (“ring the bell, the dog salivates because he expects food”). Conditioning can be treated by delinking the two stimuli via aversion therapy, flooding, systematic desensitization, etc. While conditioning can be very dangerous if left unchecked, it tends to develop fairly slowly (the conditioning needs to be repeated numerous times) and is easier to treat (keep ringing the bell over and over and over, and the dog eventually stops expecting food). Even very profound, damaging conditioned responses can sometimes be treated very quickly by a competent psychologist.
Sensitization involves a trauma, or series of traumas, that change neural pathways and associate trauma (or something related to the trauma) with a powerful protective response of some sort. Sensitization also leaves one more vulnerable to further sensitization, by utilizing nearby neural pathways. This can create a powerful, dangerous cascading effect. Unlike conditioning, sensitization can occur after a single trauma. Sensitization generally involves more powerful responses, as it ties into the limbic system. Lastly, and most importantly, sensitization is more difficult to treat because one needs to interrupt the limbic system response in fairly specific ways. Aversion therapy, flooding and systematic desensitization don’t generally work because they’re not “speaking to the amygdala.”
Basically, labeling Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as something related to “conditioning” isn’t recognizing how complex and difficult they are to cure. It’s like treating HIV with bed rest and chicken noodle soup.
Gupta Amygdala Retraining and similar programs focus on getting the conscious mind to communicate to the amygdala and limbic system… this doesn’t happen through talk therapy, aversion therapy, etc. It’s much more specific and targeted than that.
Isn’t this program for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, not Multiple Chemical Sensitivity?
Yes, but there are enough similarities between the conditions that I’ve found the program effective.
MCS researcher and biochemist Martin Pall also has found a number of similarities between MCS, CFS, Fibromyalgia and PTSD.
Come on, this is a bunch of crap
This is basically what I believed too, but I found the theory plausible enough to test. I’ve tried seemingly crazier things, like neutralization-provocation therapy (sublingual drops) and found them effective.
I had a very hard time starting the program, or taking it seriously. Gupta isn’t a doctor, his marketing is a bit dodgy, and his voice is like an adult talking to a slow, dull five-year-old. I was very turned off by all this.
Eventually I started it, stopped again, then resumed later this spring. I felt beneficial affects one to two weeks later. It took me four to six weeks before I began favorably considering his theories, and maybe two to three months before I felt confident that Gupta’s techniques were genuinely helpful.
How does it help?
I’m able to moderate and significantly reduce most MCS symptoms. This is getting better over time; I consider myself about 20-30% cured at this point. This is a real, honest-to-goodness improvement in quality of life and well-being.
I’m able to eat a number of foods safely again. I can go places and do things much more readily. (Admittedly, this is from a very low “baseline.” I’m far from normal in my sensitivities.)
I’m able to stop further sensitization from occurring; my MCS is no longer “spreading.”
What have you done, specifically?
I’ve implemented many of the techniques recommended by Gupta on his DVD set, I’ve had about six hour-long sessions with a Gupta-trained coach, and I’ve used a few different mindfulness meditation sessions.
If you’re interested in more details, please see the Gupta group on planetthrive.com.
Is Gupta the only thing you’ve done?
No, I also believe that avoidance and antioxidant vitamins have helped me a lot. (I’d go so far as to say that they saved my life.) I have a very safe cabin in the woods and take Martin Pall’s recommended supplements.
How can you do “Gupta” and “Pall” at the same time?
(My personal theory is as follows. Again, same caveats… I’m not a doctor, listening to Erik can cause hair loss and abnormal nose lengthening, etc.)
I believe that MCS is caused by a three-stage, self-reinforcing cycle.
1. A person is exposed to toxins or toxic chemicals which are known “sensitizers,” these sensitizers affect brain plasticity and act as “neural mutagens.” Thus, toxic exposure from a sensitizer can quickly create harmful neural pathways and create a persistent sensitization to the toxic chemical. Here’s a list of common MCS sensitizers. Here’s a study correlating sensitizers to brain plasticity.
2. These chemical-induced, malformed neural pathways interfere with body chemistry in highly individualized and very dangerous ways. One of the ways they change body chemistry is by interfering with detoxification pathways (the NO/ONOO- cycle). Here are details on the chemistry involved with MCS.
3. Further exposure to small quantities of toxic chemicals triggers powerful responses in the malformed neural pathways (#1), which interferes with the body’s ability to detoxify (#2), which allows very small quantities of a toxin to run roughshod through the body and cause significant physical harm (#3).
This is a very powerful, self-reinforcing cycle.
My theory is that in order to improve MCS symptoms in a person with “advanced MCS,” you generally need to address all three parts of the cycle.
#1 Limbic system retraining, which mediates between the conscious mind and the amygdala.
#2 Supplements to assist the body in detoxifying and/or regulating the NO/ONOO- cycle.
#3 Significantly reducing toxic exposures through avoidance, to allow healing.
(Editor’s note: Erik asked me to add the following to the post.)
The key for me was understanding what “sensitizers” are, the study in Rome clearly linked specific biomarkers of cellular dysfunction with NMDA receptors, which affects brain plasticity. Therefore “my theory” is basically that chemicals labeled as sensitizers cause harm by harming neural pathways the same way that chemicals labeled as mutagens harm DNA.
You can’t fix your genes (not really), but you can reshape neural pathways. Therefore I find it plausible that some of the damage to neural pathways caused by chemicals can be healed.
This is really the gist of it.
Erik Schimek has been designing custom cabinets and furniture for nearly a decade. When he became ill due to solvent exposure several years ago, he became acutely aware of hidden toxins in the home which slow down the healing process. Erik Organic was founded in 2007 to provide safe, high quality home improvement options.
