A taxonomy of threat and soothing influences in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases and central sensitivity syndromes 2023 Hijne et al

[Andy]

Abstract

Background
An imbalance in affect regulation, reflected by a hyperactive threat system and hypoactive soothing system, may impact physical symptoms in people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) and central sensitivity syndromes (CSS), including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome. This study aimed to identify and structure comprehensive overviews of threat and soothing influences that may worsen or alleviate physical symptoms in people with RMD or CSS.

Method
A concept mapping procedure was used. An online open-question survey (N = 686, 641 [93.4%] women) yielded comprehensive sets of 40 threats and 40 soothers that were individually sorted by people with RMD or CSS (N = 115, 112 [97.4%] women).

Results
Hierarchical cluster analyses generated eight threat clusters: environmental stimuli, physical symptoms, food and drugs, inactivity, demands, effort, invalidation, and emotional stress. Ten soother clusters were identified: social emotional support, rest and balance, pleasant surroundings, illness understanding, positive mindset and autonomy, spirituality, leisure activity, wellness, treatment and care, and nutrition and treats.

Conclusions
Our study provided a comprehensive taxonomy of threats and soothers in people with RMD or CSS. The results can be used in experimental research to label threat and soothing stimuli and in clinical practice to screen and monitor relevant treatment targets.

Open access, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S169726002300056X

 

[JemPD]

they make me laugh talking about 'social safeness'.... i dont know about you but a massive aspect of social unsafeness i experience is caused by all the problems that this BPS twaddle generates

 

[CRG]

If a study starts with uncritical acceptance of the legitimacy of "central sensitivity syndromes" - it is already lost.

Inactivity as a threat - wouldn't perhaps be "soothed" by GET by any chance ?

Wellness - they've identified not being ill as "soothing" for er... being ill ???

And seriously "nutrition and treats" - patients as pet dogs ?

New age "rest and balance", "positive mind set" and "spirituality". It's all so damned passive - no rage, no voice, no laughter, no activism.

 

[rvallee]

Generic fluff.

People don't like bad things happening to them. People like good things happening to them. Groundbreaking stuff.

 

[rvallee]

Really need to administer IQ tests (several, just to make sure) for entry into all health professions (includes psychosomatic medicine, whatever that is...ask Freud, I guess). Or at least, before anyone has the bright idea to begin writing a paper to further their career.

Add in tests for critical thinking skills. Add in tests to make sure entrance candidates know the difference between an important topic and fluff.

Cue garbage bin.

Unfortunately, this is where the difference between book smart and smart lies. General intelligence is very hard to assess, and the entire schooling system pretty much ignores it, it's too diffuse, too hard to develop. It rewards people who are able to quickly answer questions, whether or not the question is even relevant.

Because really it's not even a matter of intelligence, it's about perspective and experience. Each and everyone of the people involved in this would intuitively understand all this stuff if it ever happened to them, and only while it's happening to them, as it's so easy to forgive it if it goes away. It can't be intellectually understood or defined, so the only way they can make sense out of it is through the patient experience, and they just can't do that by controlling everything. It has to be a joint effort that includes multiple viewpoints, and healthcare just doesn't work like that.

The current model of medicine works from supply only, it doesn't really factor in demand. It's like a controlled economy where all the decisions are made by the people who manufacture and distribute stuff, where the people who buy, in a comparison to markets, have no say in anything. Or maybe 1-2 things once in a while. This model just doesn't work well, it quickly hits limits and aside from scientific and technical progress, medicine has pretty much hit the wall on everything else. This is the sad result.