4 ms·

it's stigmatized, has an overwhelmingly complex etiology and no clear empirical signature. i think for the most part people just don't think it's real

H8crilA 2y ago
That's the thing: all of the above applies also to depression. And yet we do have quite a lot of options for treating it. Granted, they are not guaranteed to work, but they are sometimes/often effective, especially if you try a few of them in a sequence.
soulofmischief 2y ago
After acquiring a bad case of mononucleosis at 18, I acquired CFS which lasted a number of years and severely impacted my ability to focus and make meaningful progress for extended periods of time, and this worsened my depression and anxiety, which exacerbated the problem in a positive feedback loop. Everyone in my life disregarded me or didn't understand the severity of what I was dealing with. Looking back, returning to ADHD medicine back then might have been the best course of action, however a specialized treatment would be very welcome. Regardless of how others perceive the disease, people like me would greatly benefit.
- emmelaich 2y ago
  I hesitate to ask but have you been checked for Multiple Sclerosis.
  - soulofmischief 2y ago
    I haven't specifically been checked for MS, though I have had a decently comprehensive array of tests done over the last decade before discovering I've had early-onset gout since my teens and it's likely that MS is something my doctors considered. Why do you ask?
    - emmelaich 2y ago
      Mono is caused by Epstein-Barr virus, which is also strongly implicated in MS. Perhaps you can get a single attack of MS but not get (many) more. Certainly fatigue is one symptom of MS. Blurred / double vision is another.
      - soulofmischief 2y ago
        Interesting. I believe over 90% of Americans contract mononucleosis by adulthood, so is there something about contracting it later in life which could potentially increase the likelihood of developing MS? Almost all of my friends had contracted it as young children, when the virus apparently is less destructive. Thus, my experience of mono at 18, and with a compromised immune system, was considerably more severe than anything experienced by those I spoke to. I was unable to do anything but lay on someone's couch for 6 months. I was homeless and couldn't work due to the severity of the disease and risk of spreading it, and so I had to steal food in order to live. It's unsurprising that the aftermath was equally unpleasant.

H8crilA 2y ago

That's the thing: all of the above applies also to depression. And yet we do have quite a lot of options for treating it. Granted, they are not guaranteed to work, but they are sometimes/often effective, especially if you try a few of them in a sequence.

soulofmischief 2y ago

After acquiring a bad case of mononucleosis at 18, I acquired CFS which lasted a number of years and severely impacted my ability to focus and make meaningful progress for extended periods of time, and this worsened my depression and anxiety, which exacerbated the problem in a positive feedback loop. Everyone in my life disregarded me or didn't understand the severity of what I was dealing with. Looking back, returning to ADHD medicine back then might have been the best course of action, however a specialized treatment would be very welcome. Regardless of how others perceive the disease, people like me would greatly benefit.

emmelaich 2y ago
I hesitate to ask but have you been checked for Multiple Sclerosis.
- soulofmischief 2y ago
  I haven't specifically been checked for MS, though I have had a decently comprehensive array of tests done over the last decade before discovering I've had early-onset gout since my teens and it's likely that MS is something my doctors considered. Why do you ask?
  - emmelaich 2y ago
    Mono is caused by Epstein-Barr virus, which is also strongly implicated in MS. Perhaps you can get a single attack of MS but not get (many) more. Certainly fatigue is one symptom of MS. Blurred / double vision is another.
    - soulofmischief 2y ago
      Interesting. I believe over 90% of Americans contract mononucleosis by adulthood, so is there something about contracting it later in life which could potentially increase the likelihood of developing MS? Almost all of my friends had contracted it as young children, when the virus apparently is less destructive. Thus, my experience of mono at 18, and with a compromised immune system, was considerably more severe than anything experienced by those I spoke to. I was unable to do anything but lay on someone's couch for 6 months. I was homeless and couldn't work due to the severity of the disease and risk of spreading it, and so I had to steal food in order to live. It's unsurprising that the aftermath was equally unpleasant.