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Page 57
| Depression |
| It is not unusual for chronic fatigue syndrome to lead to depression and even thoughts of suicide. About half the people with it show signs of some emotional disorder. Around 13 to 15 percent, slightly more than the general population, have a diagnosable psychiatric illness, especially anxiety. Of course, who would not get depressed while having such a devastating disorder? Certainly perpetual exhaustion, inability to think straight, weight gain and losing one's balance do little to nurture self-esteem. Top this off with the frustration of having an "incurable" disease while friends and family question your sanity. |
| True depression is not based on how many distressing events fill your life. Surely you know people who go through one misfortune after another and still manage to stay afloat emotionally. Chronic depression is not easily resolved. No amount of constructive thought will do. It is a physical disease caused by chemical imbalances in the brain that must be corrected to resolve it. |
| Dozens of studies have explored whether CFS might not be a type of depression. It is true that fatigue-related diseases often go hand in hand with depression, but the depression of CFS is not a textbook case of the disorder. How it differs from clinical depression is obvious in psychological testing, |
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