#54 - Exhaustion in MEN1? Bloods Won't Flag THIS (Senior CBT Therapist & VHL Patient)

If you’ve ever spiralled after a scan, Googled symptoms until 2am, or felt like no one gets how exhausting it is to be so proactive all the time, this episode is for you. (Season 2, Episode 4)Today I speak with Ed, a senior CBT therapist and VHL patient, about the subtle ways that chronic conditions like MEN1 can hijack our peace of mind. We talk about the pressure to do everything perfectly, how control becomes a coping mechanism, and why anxiety might be presenting as physical fatigue.In this episode: • When concern for your health becomes unhealthy obsession • Why exhaustion might not be your disease but your need to control it • How your disease can become your identity and limit your life • Why purpose brings you back the power your diagnosis took away • How to overcome perfectionism (a leading cause of stress)About Our Guest: Edward started his career in mental health first as a Psychiatric Nurse and then as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, specialising in the treatment of severe psychological disorders. He has worked as a senior therapist in specialist National Services for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Health Anxiety, Body Dysmorphic Disorder and related conditions and has supervised many colleagues and trainee therapists. For the last five years, he has worked privately after setting up his own practice. Throughout this time, he has also been treated himself for a severe health condition called VHL, kept alive after various surgical procedures and medical treatments. This dual experience has led to a deep interest in how therapy principles can best apply to the challenge of living with chronic physical illness.You can contact Edward here: [email protected] you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click hereDisclaimerI share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.