When an illness is named for its chief symptom, it sounds like that symptom is the only thing that’s wrong. Thus, the name “chronic fatigue syndrome” perpetuates the myth that people who have it are “just tired” and not really “sick” at all.
This myth is like salt in the wound to people who are disabled by chronic fatigue syndrome. Not only does it go way beyond a single symptom, the word “fatigue” doesn’t begin to accurately portray the utter exhaustion and lack of energy these people have. Here are some of the consequences of this pervasive myth, along with the truth:
- People say, “Just get some rest — you’ll feel better.” FACT: Multiple sleep-related abnormalities cause unrefreshing sleep, so no amount of rest actually relieves the fatigue.
- People say, “Yeah, I get tired, too.” It’s true that everyone gets tired, and that most people in our society are sleep deprived. Many people feel “chronically fatigued.” FACT: Those people would feel better if they took a restful vacation or improved their sleep habits, and fatigue is generally their only symptom. People with chronic fatigue syndrome deal with up to 50 other symptoms — including cognitive dysfunction (brain fog) that can be as debilitating as fatigue, flu-like body aches, sore throats . . . and the list goes on and on. See Chronic Fatigue vs. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
- People say, “You should get out more,” or “exercise more,” or “snap yourself out of it.” FACT: Being active causes symptoms to worsen, sometimes dramatically. (See Debunking Myths: ‘More Exercise’ for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.) As for snapping out of it, would people spend their savings or go into debt, lose their jobs, isolate themselves from family and friends, and give up their dreams and independence if they could just “snap out of it”? The people who come here looking for answers are desperate to find something that helps, and they’ve often tried dozens of different treatments.
This myth is especially damaging to people with chronic fatigue syndrome, because it causes the illness itself to be dismissed as people just making a big deal out of something everybody deals with. In an attempt to get away from this myth, researchers and advocates have tried using different names for the condition, but so far none have reached acceptance in the medical community because of controversy over how medically accurate they are. Until we understand this condition better, we’ll likely be stuck with the name and the myth that comes with it.
How has this myth effected you? Do people in your life believe it? Leave your comments below!
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- A Simple Explanation of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Diagnosing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Living With Someone Who Has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Debunking Myths: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or ‘Just Tired’? originally appeared on About.com Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 06:00:54.
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