Dave Wilson

David Wilson is a member of the Aberystwyth University Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP).  He brings lived experience of unpaid caring for a Service User (spouse) who suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Anorexia and Major Depression.  CFS is better known in the USA as CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue and Immune Deficiency Syndrome) – a much better overall description that points to its origins in repeated viral attacks (e.g. Influenza, Covid).  Sadly, CFS is seldom addressed at the primary care stage (i.e. presentation to the GP), whilst depression – with which it is frequently comorbid usually is – potentially leading to an incorrect bias in later (specialist) referral, diagnosis and treatment.  This was certainly the case in David and Christine’s case where engagement with services – in particular psychiatric services – was fraught with difficulties. 

Consequently, David’s interests have revolved around the dominance of the prevailing medical paradigm, which insists on the use of various classes of psychoactive drugs (Tricyclics, MAOIs, SSRIs) to treat depression exclusively and separately from its shared origins with CFS.  David would be interested in contributing to research or teaching on the avoidance of employing medical treatment to ‘remedy’ the entirely biblical and rational receipt of communication(s) from God.  On this, David has written extensively – bibliography available.

David has experience as an interview panellist selecting social work, degree-course applicants at both BA and MA level.  This led to ‘Teaching’ work explaining the need for more well-qualified, Social Work professionals as a counter to an unbridled, medical paradigm that only seems to offer the prescription of ‘chemical coshes.’  In short, David joined the (LEAP) panel because of the need for a more holistic approach to mental health in general and depression in particular, shared in equal measure by all the various professionals involved.