I spoke with her as well. I am outraged that someone in the medical community would actually make up a "theory" of CFS having to do with personality disorders.

What is the matter with these people????

I am watching for the article too, and only found a picture and cannot find the actual article.

I will keep checking here too and will post the link if I find it...

This theory has been floating around for awhile. Anytime doctors can't find an exact diagnosis, they blame it on a mental illness. I have read quite a few research studies that state that CFS/Fibro patients have a higher incidence of childhood trauma which causes changes in the development of the brain. This is partly true. Children who are abused show brain changes as a result for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Anyway, doctors attribute these changes in ALL cases to a higher risk for CFS/Fibro. HOWEVER, I find it ironic that just because SOME patients report childhood trauma researchers want to state that there is an exact correlation between the two. These are not cause and effect. Why,with the recent news of XMRV being found in a high number of these patients are they not as quick to state that these two are correlated? Not every CFS patient was a victim of trauma and not every CFS patient has XMRV.

Yes, mental illnesses can cause somatic symptoms, such as headaches, unusual tiredness, stomach problems, and lack of concentration, and insomnia. However, does mental illness cause hormone imbalances, swollen lymph glands, ear and eye infections, med sensitivities, etc, etc, etc? Does mental illness cause unusual blood tests indicating elevated lymphocytes, active viral infection, elevated growth hormone, and all the other strange things that just do not add up? Obviously, there are physical elements at work here!

I guarantee that 100% of us would be more than willing to accept a diagnosis of a mental health disorder if we could then be treated and go back to our normal functioning lives before we got sick. In many cases, mood stabilizers and antidepressants do not help and even exacerbate the symptoms!

I could go on and on and on....

I will keep checking for the article as well. I found the picture that you are speaking of too, but with no article. That picture was posted yesterday, so maybe we'll see it soon. If she took any of my words out of context I will not be pleased.

Maryca on the FM board spoke with her. I don't think she knew the article was about CFS and personality disorders.

I didn't talk to her she messaged me several times but I wasn't willing to email or phone so she found others that would. We get so many scammers on here that I just don't like to give out personnal info.

I glad she turned out to be real but I don't see her article as being good for either CFS or FM with this theroy of personalitiy disorders. I hope I'm wrong.

This is the first time I hear this. How offensive they are saying this is a personality disorder? I don't have the comprehension about the disease that some of you do. I stopped reading about it years ago. I can not believe that they are saying this is a mental problem! How come so many of us had gone so many years into our lives and many were very successful people then one day their personality flips? I think the only thing that my personality is responsible for is being a hard worker.

There are many people in this world that had trauma as children, thats a bunch of bull. I think if any thing our personalitiies help us to survive trauma and go on to lead health lives. What about all the people that did have trauma as a child that are living normal lives and aren't sick with CFS and Fibro? Why aren't they sick? I know people that suffered trauma as a child and are very successful people in life and healthy. Sorry but this makes no sense to me and I do take offense to it.....see this is why I stopped reading about medical research!

I agree with everything you said, Ditey. Everytime I go to a doctor and they tell me there's nothing wrong and downplay everything, telling me I'm stressed, or maybe depressed I literally want to put my fist through a wall. I'm not offended though: I just think these so called "scientists" are stupid. Why are they trying so hard to blame it on a mental illness? I can't wait until it all blows up in their faces.

I have been keeping up with the research because I wanted to know what the heck I was dealing with. The most important thing I learned is a sad thing: I have to minimize my frustration when I go to a doc appt. in order to appear "stable," and "not crazy." :(

I emailed Mikaela Conley and asked about the status of the article. She replied that she is waiting for input from an author. It may be later this evening or tomorrow before the post hits the ABC webpage.

I agree with all the comments, I have not met ONE CFS sufferer that wants to be ill. This is not something we are making up to not work or whatever the new theory of personality disorders is designed to do to us.

I, like many others, just want my life back. But sadly, that may never happen and with nonsense like this, medical help may never be forthcoming.

My thoughts are with all of you and all suffers of CFS.

I talked to the reporter via phone and my interview was similar to yours. I actually did tell her that I wish it was a mental/personality disorder because I would be glad to go to a shrink and take meds to resume a normal active life. CFS is just not that case!! Hope we get the article soon. P.S I'm glad you guys checked up on her because I didn't!!

wow....that's all i can say......wow....

I talked with her as well, I felt like why would I invent a disease that would leave me hold in my house, my college degree being useless atm? I wouldn't. I have had doctors ask if maybe I needed therapy...well I went just to appease them and the therapist said there was something medically wrong with me, not mentally, so I had proof I wasn't crazy. Shame I had to prove it, tho. Luckily now they believe me, but sheesh I find alot of doctors didn't even believe the disease was real at all. So if its not real how do explain all my symptoms? And I have blood tests show something is wrong they just needed to figure it out. In the end I had to be the doctor and figure it out for them lol. Now I go to a very wonderful holistic medicine doctor, I'm gluten free and on loads of herbal supplements, its the first time anything has worked for me.

I am flipping pissed off about this! My husband was told by sstupid ass doctors that my pain was likely caused by severe sexual abuse I suffered while growing up. That's a bunch of bs straight from the pit as far as I am concerned!
I am still being told and treated as if my pain has been all in my head all along, two years later. Chaps my ass, I tell you!
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo........had to get that out. Thank GOD for you guys here!
Geez, friggin' Louise...we're nutcases, people! Driven crazy by stupid doctors and studies and "concerned" people.....grrrrrr.....

That's why the majority of doctors want to prescribe antidepressants first before they do anything else, even though they may not inform you why.

My fiance's father got in a car accident about five years ago and was having neck pain. His doctor tried to give him antidepressants. Turns out he had to have neck surgery. Depression is the darling diagnosis of doctors for everything they can't explain.

I agree with you deputy: If I am crazy it's because I've been driven to that point by doctors!

When is this story coming out???

I don't know, but I hope soon. I could have napped the other day instead of talking to her. :P

LOL, I won't argue that having CFS might cause a personality disorder (such as CTSD - Current Traumatic Stress Disorder) but it certainly isn't one.

If we didn't have this damned illness our personalities would be just friggin' fine.

Is THAT what the article is about? 'Cause that's just lame.


CTSD - I just made that up...