Help for You

I am hurting, now, today

Whatever anyone says, I know I am, and I know why.

Help for You

Almost all persons are surprised and alarmed as they slowly understand - by correlating the regularities and 'coincidences' in their behaviour and how they feel - that they are experiencing a health reaction to EMR. They feel previously harmless low levels of electro-magnetic radiation emissions,(from proximity to wherever electricity is running, or microwaves and radiofrequency communications abound) which are impinging on their health.

It’s no joke, as 500 sufferers have discussed with me.

In fact it is exceedingly difficult, especially when feeling ill and puzzled, to confront the authority of presumed medical experts, probably your GP. Whoever it is it can be hard to maintain your calm when simply disbelieved, and your description of symptoms and why theu happen disregarded. Or even worse with some, particularly when you are regarded as ‘difficult’, argumentative, or even a deluded mental case, with your new expertise, which many doctors seem to hate, from "I saw it on the internet". This commonly occurs, we have been told so many times, more often than not in fact. All because doctors have no training on electromagnetic field health effects, are unaware of the consistency of classic symptoms, have no categorical box to tick, or effective treatments to offer. Possibly also because they do not want to appear as misdiagnosing in front of their peers, or more threateningly, a disciplinary hearing.

WHY IS THIS THE CASE?

It was not formerly necessary for anyone to be concerned or so it seemed. Enviromentally caused reactions are notoriously difficult to show, certainly to isolate or prove, and too many physicists reinforced this difficulty and the blindness by using outdated theoretical assertions rather than examining new incoming evidence. Regrettably, they do not listen to biologists.

The military have always known there are health effects as Barrie Trower and our own JR make clear.
Only now, with the the ambient EMR background levels being raised tenfold and more in parts of cities, and with novel dangerous kinds of pulses frequencies and systems, are the symptoms showing in the extra-sensitive minority among the general population. These were formerly only found in the military chiefly with radar operatives, also microwave researchers, power-line and electrical switchyard workers with high exposure levels due to their employment.

What is the relevance of this to offering counselling from ES-Support?

We know how awful it has been for those affected by EM radiation, really extraordinarily awful. Lonely, torturing, infuriating, suicidally depressing are feelings some, indeed many, have shared with me. The difficulties encountered because of confusion in the self over what is happening is further compounded by disbelief and even mockery from work colleagues and family members and friends. Wounding and isolating, the disbelief and denial goes to the very heart of the confusion and distress already present from the direct EMR effects on brain and body.
This multiplies difficuties, the hurt, the fatigue and anxiety. And rushed, unknowing, occasionally hostile doctors can add to this terrible load in a unaware way, frequently jumping to psychological conclusions, pills and referrals. So where to turn when YOU know what is causing the health problems?

I offer counselling as a fully trained, (Cambridge University diploma), and experienced psychodynamic counsellor. Call 09040 841402 preferably weekday mornings, this is a premium rate line charging £1.00 per minute, mobiles may vary, over 18s, with billpayers permission.

At the recent (07.09.08) electrosensitives first and biggest real gathering, at Aylesford Priory, one organised by Sarah Dacre and ES-UK to hear Dr George Carlo over from the USA reporting to and thanking ES respondents to his research, I was much moved by meeting so many sufferers. I had 'Helloing' conversations with scores of those with whom I had had lengthy, often very lengthy and frequent telephone discussions in which I employed all my counselling skills. This meant the reassurance to all that the ES reaction is real and physical, even if the biological linking mechanisms are not fully understood so far. This also meant I had a novel 'kissing and hugging harvest', as I circulated the room! Plus of course the manly warm handshakes, and occasional hugs, from the less numerous affected men.

THEY TOLD ME THE PERSONAL COUNSELLING WORKED

I am now operating independently from the charity ES-UK which wants to focus more on the educational side of its registered objects. I am focusing on support. Now I can set work patterns and receive the proper counselling supervision essential for a professional orientation, providing what I am told is a needed service.
As transport can be so problematic for the e-sensitive, and as I now know the same rapport can be established over distance with the internet and telephone, that is the structure we are employing.

WHAT CAN OUR COUNSELLING DO FOR YOU?

Really I suppose I am a stopgap, filling the vacuum which presently exists over information, help, advice and assistance as this sensitive reaction becomes recognised in the UK. Not a doctor able to diagnose and treat, but nevertheless an expert on symptoms and amelioration due to having talked with probably more electrosensitives than anyone else in the UK. We at ESS are in constant discussion with scientists world-wide and studying research reports too. In Sweden it is seen as a 'functional impairment' or disability, and special steps are taken to help people with shielding and employment, often at a municipal level.

Few outside the world of psychotherapy and counselling are familiar with the different variety of approaches, theories, models and aims involved in 'the talking cure', but with ES we do not refer to 'cures'. We can help with understanding the nature and context of the ES reaction due to our familiarity with it. Also with practical advice, often cheap and simple measures can ameliorate and diminish the ongoing progress of ES or explain new symptoms and its broadening nature as sensitivity develops. We can help avoid wilder and unecessary expenditures on 'magical' gadgetry or claimed 'solutions'. We can point to help sources as I as the trained counsellor have a back up team of scientists and e-sensitives to refer to.

Possibly the most useful single thing we offer, we have been told, is confidently knowing ES is real, and saying so rationally. This renders obsolete the frantic worries about sanity and perspective, even paranoia. We share the difficuties explaining to others what is going on, which in turn helps to sustain relationships on an even keel. We provide the scientific back-up for intelligent discussion on an issue and area of physics or electrical engineering most sufferers never anticipated having to study and come to terms with. We provide what we call the necessary 'Learning Curve' so you become your own relative expert and can understand for its own sake or explain to others.
Quite a bundle really.
A handful of us outside the medical profession, though with help from some inside it, and other experts, have accumulated some experience in how to begin to deal with this increasing but officially unrecognised problem. One that keeps increasing and will not go away, as ambient background levels and types of EMR emissions multiply alarmingly. Only a small minority are knowingly noticeably affected so far, a few per cent, but for them it accumulates without practicing avoidance. More are affected we believe, but have yet to pin down the cause as the reckless expansion of untested technologies on a grand scale. The big lies are the difficult ones to see, someone famous once said.

We do not tell anyone they are sickened by this or that, they tell us, so check yourself if you are concerned, against this list of signs and symptoms of EHS environmental sickening borrowed from our sister and pioneering organisation in Sweden at FEB.Sweden under electrosensitivity in their menu.

FEB - The Swedish Association for the ElectroSensitive International, say, and its here for your convenience:

About ElectroSensitivity

Electrical Oversensitivity or Electrical Hypersensitivity is a fairly new phenomenon, the first cases and discussions came to public knowledge in the early seventies.
The first signs of electrical hypersensitivity are often experienced as a minor irritation when working with VDTs (Computer monitors, surveillance monitors, common TV - Television sets).
A frequent symptom is that of warmth or a burning sensation in the face, not unlike a strong sunburn. Some people develop a reddish skin blemish or rash at the same time. These can also be accompanied by a tingling sensations in the skin, both facially and/or over other parts of the body. In addition eye problems can occur. You might get the feeling that the mucus membranes have dried.
These initial symptoms must be regarded as a serious first warning! Switch of the VDT when not in use, cut down time before the VDT, move the VDT far away from the user, buy a new low emission, grounded, monitor with a Cu-net embedded into the front glass (shielding glass).

Warning signs

These are symptoms that people experience with eg. VDT work. For some individuals the problem becomes gradually worse, the symptoms are sustained for longer periods.
• An unnatural warmth or burning sensation in the face.
• A tingling, stinging or pricking sensation in the face or other areas of the body.
• Dryness of the upper respiratory tract or eye irritation.
• Problems with concentration, dizziness and loss of memory.
• Swollen mucus membranes resulting in nonviral/bacterial swelling of nose, throat, ear and sinuses.
• Feeling of impending influenza that never quite breaks out.
• Headache and nuasea.
• Teeth and jaw pains.
• Ache in muscles and joints.
• Cardiac palpitations.
Naturally the differences between individuals are great, some may only have one or a few symptoms, some have many, some have light symptoms, some may have severe difficulties.

In Sweden ES or EHS (electrical hypersensitivity, as some scientists prefer) is recognised as a ‘functional impairment’ which roughly translates as a disability in the UK context, they receive medial help and treatment, EMR shielding, employment and relief arrangements.

Without formal acceptance the EHS condition exists here we occupy a never never land or limbo, that is YOU DO!
As do all others with the distressing signs as above they have learned to link with EMR exposures. Increasingly today its with penetrative, often pulsing, microwave emissions; often from overuse of mobiles or constant proximity to Wi-Fi. Many believe they are unaffected and probably most of them are; that includes me. But I have learned that it is very real nevertheless, many others suffer all manner of conditions I am fortunate enough to not suffer from, and I have long since put away my initial doubts and scepticism of five years ago, about EHS.

What are You to do?

First is “Don’t panic”, as Corporal Jones and the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy both agree. Stay cool, keep your perspective and sense of humour and balance, but take it seriously. EHS rarely arrives overnight, and in fact accumulates, as most tell us, over years of unwitting and increasing exposure. This is partly why it is hard to notice the signs accumulating as your sensitivity accumulates. The best and most simple advice we offer is practice AVOIDANCE. Cut down exposure, it is not really you that is sick but an overloaded environment around you, cut exposure down and over time most e-sensitives find their reaction diminishes. Your natural beneficial defences and immune system kick in, given a chance; just as those with MCS, multiple chemical sensitivity, cut out powerful smells and solvents, paints, perfumes, detergents or whatever and obviously become less injured.

Oh, and by the way, other environmental sensitivities, like MCS as just mentioned, and/or dietary intolerances, seem to dispose sufferers to electrical sensitivity too. Around three-quarters of those reporting EHS have other previous environmental sensitivities. The bad news is, those with EHS report it often broadens out into crossover sensitivity, other allergies if you like, say to chemicals or diet, over time. As we say, it is serious.

Practicing avoidance.

It ain’t easy in the modern world, we are saturated in electrical fields and microwaves see electrosmog and that is why EHS is sometimes called the 21st century illness.
Really of course it is a healthy reaction to a toxic environment, your body warning you to stay away from this unnatural energy stuff which over stimulates your immune system repeatedly as an 'invader danger' and so compromises its efficiency.

Some choose to buy ‘electrosmog detectors’, around sixty pounds or so if you google them.electrosmog detectors More of an educational tool than a scientific instrument, they are eye-opening to owners and others in revealing the extent of localised environmental pollution around electronic equipment. More gadgets are needed however to provide a comprehensive picture of all the EMR around, and it can become an expensive and geeky road to travel. Buying electronic protection products can even be dangerous too:

Medical Alert

Aggravated Symptom Relapses Reported after Use of Widely-Available EMR Protection Products

From Dr. George Carlo - 19/5/2008

Reasons for this Advisory:

• An alarmingly high number of patients with electro-hypersensitivity and other related conditions are reporting serious symptom relapses after periods of time when symptoms were apparently mitigated by use of products that claim to be protective against electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) related disease.

• The symptom relapses are reportedly more severe than the symptoms that defined the original illnesses – suggesting that the patients are sicker after the use of the purported protective products than before the use.

• We fear that consumers are being lured into a false sense of security by their use of widely-available products purporting to prevent disease – causing consumers to unknowingly compound the effects dangerous exposures by increasing their use of wireless devices.

• In the United States as well as globally, no steps have been taken by either the Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory authority to protect patients and consumers from this apparent danger.

• Thus, out intent is to empower consumers to protect themselves in this regard.

See safewireless.org

What is necessary in the first instance, without spending money is to cut out all unnecessary EMR exposure and cut down, ration, what is unavoidable.

Favourite sitting areas, easy chairs, and bedrooms should have all electrical equipment moved away so the distance is measured in feet rather than inches. At night the immune system is busy repairing the ravages of the day and needs an electro-sanitised environment to work most effectively.

Expensive and complicated EMR avoidance practices may not be needed in many cases. Simple strategies such as keeping a diary to note reactions and location of obvious EMR zones, taking avoidance action and restricting use of mobile phones and other sensitising equipment, or moving a bed a few inches, more if possible, from a wall may suffice, as well as removing electrical cables at the plug for sleeping areas.
Where space is a problem – the patient can sleep with his/her head at the foot of the bed, a wise strategy to avoid exposure to the head as the surface area of the head attracts a greater percentage of EMR than the extremities. Even turn the bed to align it with the geomagnetic pole, do not have a wire or metal bed frame but dunlopillo or similar. All the above listed strategies are known to have made a significant difference in many cases. We have been told, repeatedly. See
electroallergie

Do not have a Wi-Fi or electronic wireless computer connector, use wired, they are comparable to having a mini-mast in your home 24/7. Even your neighbours’ can come through the walls. Similarly with mobile phone base units for walkabout handsets, almost all e-sensitives will not tolerate being near them. There are low emission sets which only transmit while in use, a big improvement.

Some choose to invest in shielding products, it seems unfair but the cost of protection falls upon the victims while the producer companies deny responsibility. Again it can become expensive but some offer moneyback deals try earthcalm
or just google EMF shielding, and watch out for unexpected import taxes.

Have your house wiring and local electromagnetic environment checked by a knowledgeable professional surveyor/electrician alert to possible health risks, too many mock the possibility mind. Occasionally very high and freakish EM fields are found, really quite dangerous especially to young bodies. Try search for surveys or from personal acquaintance try davidwebbsurveys and
electricforester

Or, as often becomes necessary, get on that learning curve by signing up to electronic university courses with the US Science and Public Policy Institute at Science and Public Policy Institute EMR university or for another US viewpoint go to Lucinda Grant Lucinda in USA

I offer individual counselling as a fully trained, (Cambridge University diploma), and experienced psychodynamic counsellor. Call 09040 841402 preferably weekday mornings, this is a premium rate line charging £1.00 per minute, mobiles may vary, over 18s, with billpayers permission.

For a taped summary of advice, night or day, call 09040 841403 costing 0.50p per minute, mobiles may vary, over 18s 0nly ,with billpayers permission.