The question is often raised about personalities and ME/CFS/SEID. Do we have traits in common that are part of the ‘syndrome’? We’ve all heard that ME/CFS/SEID patients are usually Type A personalities defined as competitive, impatient, driven and stressed. For many, the anecdotal evidence supports this association. I’m a classic example of a Type A. And you’ll find blogs, articles and endless fodder on the internet attesting to this viewpoint. But does the research support such a link?
I found three studies that examined the personalities of ME/CFS/SEID patients – let us know if you have found others.
The first, “Personality and Perfectionism in CFS” confirms a personality link. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08870440802403863#.U02NwtfD-po
The second, “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and DSM-IV Personality Disorders” concludes that there is no link. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19073288
The third, “Personality Features and Personality Disorders in CFS”, offers a ‘maybe or maybe not’ association. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20664306
Not addressing the flaws in the research, that’s a solid ‘don’t know’. As ME/CFS/SEID patients, we’ve gotten used to the ‘don’t know’ territory. Our diagnosis is a question mark. The causality is a question mark. The treatment is a question mark. And, of course, our personality’s part in contributing to our dis-ease is a question mark. Status Quo.
But hard data or not, for me, the path to recovery required that I change my personality. Being a type A and recovering from ME/CFS/SEID didn’t mix. I had to not only slow down my body, I had to slow down my psyche. This required focused retraining. How are you dealing with personality and your struggle with ME/CFS/SEID? Please COMMENT on this blog or Send in your thoughts and I’ll post them with your permission. You can use the Contact Form or send an email to Martha at DefeatCFS dot net. And Guest Blogs are most welcome!
Look for a weekly posting on Tuesdays. And consider being part of the conversation.
Be Well Again,
Martha
I found three studies that examined the personalities of ME/CFS/SEID patients – let us know if you have found others.
The first, “Personality and Perfectionism in CFS” confirms a personality link. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08870440802403863#.U02NwtfD-po
The second, “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and DSM-IV Personality Disorders” concludes that there is no link. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19073288
The third, “Personality Features and Personality Disorders in CFS”, offers a ‘maybe or maybe not’ association. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20664306
Not addressing the flaws in the research, that’s a solid ‘don’t know’. As ME/CFS/SEID patients, we’ve gotten used to the ‘don’t know’ territory. Our diagnosis is a question mark. The causality is a question mark. The treatment is a question mark. And, of course, our personality’s part in contributing to our dis-ease is a question mark. Status Quo.
But hard data or not, for me, the path to recovery required that I change my personality. Being a type A and recovering from ME/CFS/SEID didn’t mix. I had to not only slow down my body, I had to slow down my psyche. This required focused retraining. How are you dealing with personality and your struggle with ME/CFS/SEID? Please COMMENT on this blog or Send in your thoughts and I’ll post them with your permission. You can use the Contact Form or send an email to Martha at DefeatCFS dot net. And Guest Blogs are most welcome!
Look for a weekly posting on Tuesdays. And consider being part of the conversation.
Be Well Again,
Martha
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