The lack of recognition of ME/CFS as a biological disease in healthcare settings

[bicentennial]

“but you can do it sometimes” or “might just be depression” or “you’re an attention seeker” or “you’ve got lazy” or “you’ll be ok if you just….”

Thats all very well but its contradicting a person who says they are unwell and must live by different rules, also its compulsive moralising, finding fault, a programmed behaviour to boot

They act like grownups who wont eat a food they don't like, but must tell children and other grownups to eat what they are given or go to bed without, also go get it - its only over there.

Maybe these emphatic people upstage the host of kind gentle people who don't do that, and try to avoid them

Frankly I think these people are un-moored in large numbers, and might be violent if unleashed. I need civilisation to stay civilised

 

[MrMagoo]

Thats all very well but its contradicting a person who says they are unwell and must live by different rules, also its compulsive moralising, finding fault, a programmed behaviour to boot

They act like grownups who wont eat a food they don't like, but must tell children and other grownups to eat what they are given or go to bed without, also go get it - its only over there.

Maybe these emphatic people upstage the host of kind gentle people who don't do that, and try to avoid them

Frankly I think these people are un-moored in large numbers, and might be violent if unleashed. I need civilisation to stay civilised

But this is the problem, it’s in so many people. Western society is all “lazy = bad and healthy, active = good”

 

[tornandfrayed]

I don't think that is true. Kids at school do not believe their friends with ME/CFS. Parents don't believe their children. Employers don't believe their workers. Because there is nothing to see. In general they have no knowledge of any biopsychosocial theories. Even when I retired as a doctor I had never heard of Wessely, Chalder, Sharpe, White and their theories.

There was a long period of time with Yuppie Flu headlines. Enough to ingrain that idea.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

There was a long period of time with Yuppie Flu headlines. Enough to ingrain that idea.

Yes, but Yuppie Flu is not the BPS story. It is "serves them right burning out trying to make leads of money and then expecting sympathy when they feel tired".

 

[Carercns]

I thought this was part of the bos model.
"high achievers" are often identified as having a particular personality profile that, combined with other stressors, may predispose them to, or perpetuate, the condition.

 

[Carercns]

Just dug this out. Local rehabers sent info and this section..

 

[Sean]

Patients being 'overachievers' pre-onset was yet another psycho-behavioural trope about us for a while. Some still believe it.

EDIT: Snap!

 

[MrMagoo]

Ah the overachiever “false equivalence”

Do you want to be a lazy person who did nothing before you got ME, in which case maybe you’re just even more lazy than before, and your problem is laziness.
Or do you want to make it known you were previously very capable doing work/study, exercise, socialising etc in which case you’re a type A, perfectionist, overachieving show-off and it’s no wonder you got burned out.

Either way, it’ll be your fault.