The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome


 

The Psychological impact of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Coping strategies

I suffered from Fibromyalgia and Chronicis  normal.
Fatigue for 4 years before reaching a point
where I am 90% better than I was at theBecoming chronically ill is very much like a
beginning  of  the  illness.bereavement. The losses and emotions involved
are very similar. Giving up works means not
I will say from the outset that I believeonly that you lose income but you also lose
this is one of the worst afflictions that canstatus, friendship and a purposeful role in
strike any person, at any age and at anytime.life.
Not only is it so debilitating that it nowFibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
has the same disability rating assigned toencompass the full range of human emotions
heart disease patients, but at the same timeand  magnify  the  negative  ones  ten-fold.
you have to deal with negative connotations
that  surround  it.This disease really is a monster. The usual
response is to want to hide away from the
Even the name doesn't sound credible,world. However, confronting these emotions
"Chronic Fatigue Syndrome", "what is thatcan be very important as part of your
like a bad hangover or something" people willpsychological rehabilitation which should be
say. At a time when you need the most supportaddressed in conjunction with the manual
in your life, often, people are turning theirtherapy  discussed  later.
backs and walking away or muttering under
their  breath.  It  is a frightful condition.This really is an area where a healthy mind
can assist a healthy body towards better
This will be a pivotal point in your life.recovery.
You will find that during the course of your
illness you will find out who your realThe pain that comes with Fibromyalgia and
friends  are,  and  who  really  cares.Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be frightening
and this in itself can cause fear,
There is no point disguising the realityloneliness,  isolation,  panic  and  anxiety.
which is, I'm afraid to say, that you will
lose a lot of friends and colleagues alongFibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can
the way to the monster that is Fibromyalgiacreate a fear of rejection by others even
and  CFS.when there is no evidence of this happening.
I mean, who wants to be around someone who is
It is NOT possible to explain this conditionlike  this,  we  say  to  ourselves.
to people who have no experience of it either
by having suffered, or through having aAgain this is a normal reaction, our self
particular medical interest in the area. Theyesteem is based on what others think of us,
WILL NOT understand what, or to what extent,and usually that is based on what we "do" or
you are suffering. Again, I'm afraid this is"how we play" , or "what we say", generally
the norm. Accept it as such and you will nothow we interact with other people. As we take
then be personally offended by acts ofto "doing less", "playing" less and generally
prejudice. Easier said than done I know. Letinteracting "saying" less, then our self
us examine a common sequence of events whichesteem  plummets  along  with  our  health.
may ring a bell with sufferers, to understand
the  prejudice  from an outsider perspective.We are worried about the future; the dark
shadow of uncertainty is round every corner.
You had a viral/ bacterial/ chemical exposureWill I ever get better? What if I don't? How
of unknown etiology, the same as happens tolong is this going to go on? We ask these
millions of people throughout America everyquestions every day. We begin to experience
day, and for some reason that no-one canlife in a shadow land. Our hopes and dreams
explain to you, you have felt generally illhave been shattered and the road ahead can be
and exhausted with multiple symptoms andbleak  and  never  ending.
multi-systemic involvement ever since. Your
doctor appears cynical and can't give you anAnger is very common emotion - Why me? - Why
adequate diagnosis so you may by now havenow? - What have I ever done to deserve this?
been referred to a psychologist for analysisUnfortunately this anger alienates those we
as a suspected depressive incident. "hmmmlove  even  more.
okay"  you  hear  them  mutter.
You will find supportive people, often, and
Ask  yourself  this  question.encouragingly the last people you would
expect. Those who are supportive are often
If you had no knowledge about Fibromyalgiapeople, or those close to them, who have
and CFS what would your reaction be toexperienced serious illness and are living
someone else developing thesewith  it,  or  have  come  through  it.
symptoms?............ You see? Its human
nature,  it's  cruel  isn't  it?Or, those who have experienced Fibromyalgia
and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or have someone
So how do we as sufferers cope andclose to them who has it. These are the
rationalize  what  is  happening.people you should aim to spend your limited
energy resources building relationships with
Knowledge is power. Educate yourself aboutfor  the  moment.
your  condition.
Do not feel bitter towards people who you
Concentrate on yourself and try not to dwelllose at this stage, hold on while you can
morbidly over the people that you have lostthen just let them go lightly, they are not
already. Those that do not stand by you, andyour problem. Fibromyalgia and Chronic
there will be some, are what we termFatigue Syndrome IS your problem, and
fair-weather friends, usually activity basedfighting it hard is your duty to yourself, to
they were your friends due to your commonget your health back, for you and your loved
interest in a certain activity, be it sport/ones. You are going to need the energy you
work  etc.have  left  for  this  fight.
The activity has gone due to your illness,I do advocate counseling and support groups.
therefore by association so does theYou will need to find someone who has
friendship, this is okay because we are goingspecific knowledge about the emotional
to get you to a stage where you can resumeeffects of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue,
the activity, you can forgive thoseagain a good doctor should be able to put you
"acquaintances" if you wish and resume theon the right path, there are also
activity with them, you will also be wiserFibromyalgia and CFS support groups based in
and more aware of "the type" of friendshipmost  cities  and  towns  across  the  US.
you  have  with  this  person.
Once you have found a good support group you
What goes around come around and what iswill  also  find  good  counseling.
going around is that you are going to get
better!!However, the majority of cases will NOT need
to see a psychologist unless you are being
There is a small consolation that I allowreferred for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy,
myself, and this is the level ofas your illness is NOT depression, and
self-knowledge and wisdom that you will gaintherefore you should not accept
from this painful journey. It's a smallanti-depressants, with the exception of
consolation I know and I hear most of youpossibly low dose amitriptyline if your
screaming, "it's wisdom and knowledge I couldsymptoms include severe nervous pain and
well do without", but it is there and whensleep  disturbance.
you do come out the other side in the
following weeks and months what you have beenHowever I cannot personally vouch for this
through will make you ten times the personbut there is enough evidence to suggest is a
you  were  before.valid  treatment.
You have plumbed the depths of pain andMental and emotional preparation, knowledge
despair and in the future you will be scalingof your condition, and the correct course of
the heights. If you come through this nothingtreatment are all essential and work
in life will phase you again. You will valuesymbiotically  to  assist  your  recovery.
the simple things in life. You will live
every day. You will scoff at the vanities andIn my next article I will explain new
selfishness  of  our  systems  and  culture.research which is allowing us to determine
how genetic and biomechanical anomalies,
Fibromyalgia and CFS will create emotionalpredispose certain individuals to attacks of
havoc for you and for your loved ones. ThisFibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.



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