| A wide variety of chronic disorders of suspected | | | | states of muscular weakness, with the difference |
| neurological causes such as Fibromyalgia (FMS) and | | | | that in patients with FMS and CFIDS they occur |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFIDS) involve the | | | | purely due to neurological causes, while in patients |
| existence of symptoms such as sadness, fatigue, | | | | with depression the symptoms are self-induced. In |
| anxiety and confusion, symptoms that generally | | | | fact, neurologists and psychiatrists claim that |
| occur in patients with depression. However, after | | | | fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and |
| conducting a series of medical investigations, | | | | depression are somehow related. They inform |
| scientists have revealed the fact that lots of | | | | that although patients with depression rarely |
| patients with clear signs of depression have been | | | | develop fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, |
| misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue | | | | patients with FMS or CFIDS can eventually be |
| syndrome over the last few years, even if they | | | | faced with depression. |
| showed no other symptoms characteristic to the | | | | In order to reduce the number of future cases of |
| mentioned syndromes. Medical scientists explain | | | | misdiagnosed depression, medical scientists have |
| that due to poor understanding of fibromyalgia | | | | come up with more elaborate criteria of diagnosis. |
| and chronic fatigue syndrome, the risk of | | | | In the absence of major FMS or CFIDS indicators |
| confusing FMS and CFIDS with depression and | | | | and with conclusive evidence of the presence of |
| other treatable psychological conditions (which | | | | the following signs in patients, medical scientists |
| rarely involve symptoms similar to FMS and | | | | believe that depression can be timely and |
| CFIDS - generalized fatigue, intense, recurrent | | | | accurately diagnosed. The specific criteria that |
| muscular pain, joint rigidity) is very high. | | | | should be used to diagnose depression include: |
| By revealing the fact that most patients with | | | | indisposition and depressed moods, loss of interest |
| depression are still inappropriately diagnosed with | | | | in hobbies, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, |
| fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, the | | | | decreased concentration and rational judgment, |
| recent medical research has suggested that the | | | | fatigue, changes in sleep patterns (decreased or |
| incidence of FMS and CFIDS may actually be | | | | increased sleep), unexpected changes in body |
| lower than previously thought. Today's | | | | weight (unintentional weight gain or loss), suicidal |
| overwhelming number of fibromyalgia and chronic | | | | thoughts. |
| fatigue syndrome cases registered especially in | | | | The existence of such manifestations points to |
| the female population may be inaccurate, | | | | depression when the symptoms are not caused |
| researchers suspecting that the number of such | | | | by medications or existing mental illnesses and |
| cases is in fact considerably lower. | | | | their occurrence isn't linked with a recent tragic |
| Medical scientists state that most cases of | | | | event (death of a loved one). If patients also |
| misdiagnosed depression occur due to imprecise | | | | experience muscular pain, ongoing state of fatigue |
| criteria of diagnosing neuropsychological disorders. | | | | and joint stiffness, but the symptoms are of |
| According to neurologists and psychiatrists, the | | | | psychological nature (they are self-induced, having |
| symptoms of depression can resemble the clinical | | | | no concrete medical background), then the |
| manifestations of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue | | | | existence of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue |
| syndrome. Such symptoms comprise fatigue and | | | | syndrome can be excluded. |