http://mindhacks.com/2010/01/06/fighting-fatigue/ Neuroscience and psychology tricks to find out what's going on inside your brain. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:24:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://mindhacks.com/2010/01/06/fighting-fatigue/#comment-5153 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:04:04 +0000 http://mindhacksblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/fighting-fatigue/#comment-5153 I have CFS and so does my son. I’ve had people tell me about my son that “it’s all in the mind” and I was appalled. For a start, there seems to be a large physical component in CFS but what got to me was the underlying message that any psychological component trivialises an illness. I always felt like saying, “Yes, and anorexia is all in the mind. So?”
I think you’re probably right and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be the result of a whole slew of causes. I know that mental stress makes mine and my son’s worse, but so does physical stress. What’s helped me most is rest and B12 injections. I do wonder if the B12 works by placebo but I really don’t care as long as it helps.
The worst bit of all is feeling like I could really do more if I try – but if I do, then I set myself back. It doesn’t feel like a “real” illness most of the time so I can see how easy it is to get defensive.
Anyway, thank you for your usual thoughtful approach to this very emotive subject.

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