# fatigue and mental health



## poet (Nov 17, 2003)

Good Mental Health May Help Ease Chronic Fatigue SyndromeFri Jan 2, 6:38 PM ETBy Alison McCookNEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who have good mental health and refrain fromusing sedatives tend to fare better with chronic fatigue syndrome than others,new research shows.People with the condition who avoided blaming their symptoms of crushingfatigue on a physical illness like a virus also tended to improve faster thanother chronic fatigue patients.Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by a range of symptomsincluding profound tiredness that lasts at least six months, headache, sleepproblems, muscle pain and difficulty concentrating. CFS often strikes suddenlyand may be accompanied by a low-grade fever and swollen lymph nodes. The causeis unknown, and there is no laboratory test that can diagnose the illness.Although patients with CFS often improve over time, very few ever fully recoverfrom the condition, according to the report, which appears in the journalPsychosomatic Medicine.To determine which factors might influence how well people fare with thedebilitating condition, the researchers followed 100 patients for 18 months,noting their characteristics and who improved over time.The investigators, led by Dr. Karen B. Schmaling of the University of Texas inEl Paso, found that after 18 months, around one-fifth of participants appearedto have improved enough to no longer warrant a diagnosis of chronic fatiguesyndrome.People who tended to attribute their symptoms to a physical illness were lesslikely to improve than people who believed their condition was primarily due tonon-physical or emotional problems, such as stress.Chronic fatigue patients fared worse if they were unemployed, older ordepressed.Taking sedatives such as benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants - something CFSpatients may do to alleviate the pain from headaches, sore throat and tenderlymph nodes - was also associated with a worse outcome.In an interview, Schmaling explained that, in general, having good mentalhealth through chronic fatigue may be a sign people are adapting to theirillness, a practice that may ultimately help them recover. In this instance,when CFS prevents people from doing something they once loved, those who adaptwell may be more likely to avoid depression by seeking out other activitiesthey enjoy just as much, she noted."People who cope well, cope flexibly," Schmaling told Reuters Health. "Thereare things that people do that can maintain or enhance their mental health."In contrast, blaming symptoms on a physical problem may cause people to harp onthe fact that something is "wrong" with their body, and they have to wait fordoctors to cure it, Schmaling said.However, if people believe the root of their problem is more emotional innature, they may feel somewhat empowered - if they sought help from a therapistor another expert, for instance, they could improve, she noted. Thisempowerment may help them recover, Schmaling added.Psychosomatic Medicine, November/December 2003.(Note: The abstract to the actual article may be read at http://listserv.nodak.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A...co-cure&P=R1209 )__________________________________Do you Yahoo!?Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/signingbonus --------------------------------------------- Co-Cure Web Site: http://www.co-cure.org/ Send posts to mailto:CO-CURE###listserv.nodak.edu Join or leave the list at http://www.co-cure.org/sub.htm Co-Cure is not a discussion list. Please do not reply to the list. ---------------------------------------------


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