The recent studies that came out for sufferers of CFS shows that there is a genetic predisposition where we cannot handle stress. Now many sufferers are up in arms because they feel that this statement is, like so many in the past, degrading us and dismissing our disease. I do not feel this way at all. I mean, it is what it is. Apparently, they have found a genetic default in CFS patients, so it IS a physical deficiency that we have. It is not saying that it is all in our heads and if we just learned how to handle stress, we would be okay. Our bodies simply do not have the capacity to function when under stress – plain and simple.
Our bodies can go through different types of “stressors” – infections, season changes, illness, illness of a loved one, emotional stress, and so on. There are many types of “stress” that have nothing at all to do with the psychological standpoint. Most people do not realize that these things are body stressors because they are healthy enough to float through the changes without noticing. In CFS patients, the genes that handle the smooth transitions for these normal stressors is defective.
I do understand where these feelings come from, though. For almost 20 years, we have been made to feel as if we have something psychologically wrong with us. I think more and more physical findings are going to be coming out soon and I am very hopeful for a helpful treatment, or maybe even a cure! Keep your chin up!
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