I watched it when it first came out a couple months ago on Vimeo, bought it through Amazon recently and hoping to show my Mom one day. Glad you got the chance to see it :)

I cried through most of it. Jennifer Brea did such an amazing job putting the film together. I’m trying to get all my loved ones to watch it.

I missed it on the 8th but was glad to discover it is available from PBS streaming so watched it on my iPad. She did such an amazing job. I wish the film had shown more of the range of the illness so folks would understand those of us who are not bedbound also, but it is impossible to include everything in one film. Hopefully this will be one of many documentaries. I have no family or close friends, but did email the link to about 7 folks I know whom I hoped would be more open to a connection if they understood some of what my life has been like. I know many have drifted away because I am no longer able to be part of the things in their lives. Since most of my friends identify as feminists, I put in the subject line "CFS is a feminist issue", hoping to grab someone's attention. I know it is a lot to ask someone who doesn't need you in their life to take the time to learn something new, and so dismal. I'm disappointed that I only have had one acknowledgement so far to having received the email, and she apparently did watch it. She is the person I love and admire most in the world, but she only wrote one line "film was interesting, thanks for sharing". Nothing personal, no dialogue, no questions or acknowledging anything in it. Not sure what to feel...sort of feel like I was stupid to stick my neck out and be vulnerable with anyone ..(I had written a paragraph of my own experience over the last 3o years, and how it had limited me from staying connected to friends and community). Anyway, would LOVE to discuss the film with someone if anyone on here cares to discuss. I love films and admire filmmaking anyway. Anyone, please PM me if you like. When the weather is better, I'm hoping to organize a showing at a theater in my area.

Definitely hard to watch, but what an important film. I know it is on the short list for the Oscars and am hoping that will encourage and motivate others to watch it too.

I was impressed by the film and it helped me figure out what is going on with me. I've since done more searching on the internet. It's discouraging but it makes sense out of this mess I'm in. "Before you can work on a problem you have to identify it". I'm at the very start of this journey. I hope to learn from others.

I joined this site because of everything this film has stirred up (on that note, a quick wave hello to all of you beautiful souls and a preemptive thank you for being here :) ... I wasn't prepared for the impact it's had on me ... it hit me like a brick to the head. I'm still reeling.

It's redundant to even bother prefacing this with "I, too, have been given psychiatric referrals, dealt with every manner of abuse from doctors and nurses, etc..." .. it's pretty clear we all have, but what hit me hardest is how much I've perpetuated those biases and abuses toward myself. I'm constantly afraid that maybe I really am histrionic or a hypochondriac and deep down I don't feel defensible ... so much so that it wasn't until this film that I realized how toxic my way of processing things has become.

An example: my husband suffers from debilitating treatment-resistant depression with an aspergers chaser so one of the very painful points in my life is that my surroundings have deteriorated into absolute chaos since I got sick 11 years ago... the house is out of control and since im bed-ridden almost entirely I live in constant shame and helplessness about my living conditions. (sorry.. this is getting lengthy im not trying to give my whole history
.. I have a specific point regarding the film).

I've had a couple of opportunities to be away from home and once in better environment I was feeling, not well by any means, but certainly a good deal better ... I'm horrified to realize how this somehow became a point of fear that this was proof that this is all in my head or psychological rather than seeing that living with the constant mental exhaustion of an environment that isn't healthy is exacerbating this very real illness by constantly contributing to the post exertion malaise of my brain always futility clawing away in the background for a solution that doesn't exist just yet and the awful mental white noise that this chaos and anxiety adds to my troubles.

I'm heartbroken to realize that the sexism and misinformation of hysteria isn't just something I fight on the outside ... this film has woken me up to realize that these faulty premises have found an inside man--Me! It's a lot to process but I'm glad to be so keenly aware of it... it's helping me see much more clearly ... ok not sure I made my point lol the brain just went mush

Hi Deary, I can appreciate what you are saying about realizing hoe we've internalized so much of the judgement and doubt about the legitimacy of CFS. I've had obvious symptoms for over 30 years, learned the term and diagnosis about 1990, was relieve to learn that there was a term for all my symptoms, and then I ran into a brick wall or more like a void with the medical system. So all these years I still go through waves of acceptance, and then slip into denial when I start to feel better, only to have to hold back and read all my books on it again, to make sense all over again with what is going on in my body. Our bodies are acting crazy, but we are not crazy. Every time I get so zapped with relapse that I have to break my denial, I am in tears again. This film is done so well, and it makes such a good case for the public who needs awareness raised, but it also takes a whack at our own denial. The fact that this disease, like so many, has been ignored because it is primarily women who are affected, just makes me mad and want to speak up, even if it means more alienation from my friends and family. This film helped show me it is ok to speak my truth, the reality of my life, and resign myself to the social isolation, with the exception of the online community.
I'm so sorry your husband has so many issues himself that he struggles with. I have a brother as well as others in extended family with Aspergers, and it is so difficult to get a sense of connection or support from them. Kudos to you for recognizing that part of the fight is within ourselves, that is so important to face so we can begin to make strides and empower ourselves, as women, and as persons with CFS. Sending you well wishes and hugs.