Mental health

Mental health is a broad term that can refer to cognitive, behavioral, emotional, psychological, and/or social well-being. Mental illness refers to a psychiatric illness, for example depression, anxiety or anorexia nervosa.

ME/CFS

Brown et al (2010) found that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome who had both a mental illness before CFS and a current mental illness had greater pain, great sleep dysfunction, and more physical symptoms compared to patients with CFS who did not have a mental illness, or patients whose mental illness only began after they became ill with chronic fatigue syndrome. Level of fatigue was not significantly associated with past or current psychiatric illness, and even chronic fatigue syndrome patients with no psychiatric history had severe disability.

McManimen et al (2018) found that CFS patients who were both depressed and suicidal experienced significantly more stigma and dismissal from doctors and family members regarding their symptoms compared to patients who were neither depressed nor suicidal. Depression and suicidal ideation were also associated with more severe CFS symptoms and a lower quality of life.

In a study comparing functional status and well-being of CFS patients, multiple sclerosis patients, and healthy, controls, Kingdon et al (2018) found that CFS patients scored significantly lower than both MS patients and healthy controls in nearly every category that was studied, including mental health. Additionally, Eaton-Fitch et al (2020) found that health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a cohort of Australian CFS patients was significantly lower than the HRQoL of healthy controls.

Loades et al (2017) found that adolescents with CFS and depression experienced significantly more interference with school and social adjustment than adolescent CFS patients who were not depressed; anxiety was not found to have a significant effect on any of the categories studied.

Boulazreg and Rokach (2020) discuss the implications of loneliness and isolation caused by CFS on CFS patients and their caregivers and families. Coping mechanisms for patients, families, and caregivers to deal with loneliness and isolation are also discussed.

Notable studies

• 2006, Differential diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome and major depressive disorder - (Full Text)
• 2008, A Systematic Review of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Don't Assume It's Depression - (Full Text)
• 2009, A review on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) in myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) / chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): CBT/GET is not only ineffective and not evidence-based, but also potentially harmful for many patients with ME/CFS - (Abstract)
• 2010, Subgroups of chronic fatigue syndrome based on psychiatric disorder onset and current psychiatric status - (Full text)
• 2011, Anxiety and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): Examining the incidence of health anxiety in CFS/ME - (Abstract)
• 2011, Reporting of Harms Associated with Graded Exercise Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• 2011, Health-related quality of life in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: group cognitive behavioural therapy and graded exercise versus usual treatment. A randomised controlled trial with 1 year of follow-up - (Full)
• 2016, Cognitive behavioural therapy in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome: A narrative review on efficacy and informed consent - (Full)
• 2016, Group Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• 2017, Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients’ reports of symptom changes following cognitive behavioural therapy, graded exercise therapy and pacing treatments: Analysis of a primary survey compared with secondary surveys - (Full text)
• 2017, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Objective Assessments in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• 2017, The presence of co-morbid mental health problems in a cohort of adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome
• 2018, Rethinking the treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• 2018, Cognitive–behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome: neither efficacious nor safe
• 2018, Functional status and well-being in people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome compared with people with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls
• 2018, Effects of unsupportive social interactions, stigma, and symptoms on patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome
• 2020, The lonely, isolating, and alienating impacts of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
• 2020, Health-related quality of life in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

See also

• Anxiety
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Depression
• Mental disorders (category)
• Patient mental health
• Psychological signs and symptoms (category)

cognition Thought processes, including attention, reasoning, and memory.

See myalgic encephalomyelitis.

See chronic fatigue syndrome.

cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - A type of psychotherapy geared toward modifying alleged unhealthy thinking, behaviors or illness beliefs. One of the treatment arms used in the controversial PACE trial.

See cognitive behavioral therapy.

graded exercise therapy (GET) - A gradual increase in exercise or activity, according to a pre-defined plan. Focuses on overcoming the patient's alleged unhelpful illness beliefs that exertion can exacerbate symptoms, rather than on reversing physical deconditioning. Considered controversial, and possibly harmful, in the treatment or management of ME. One of the treatment arms of the controversial PACE trial.

See Graded exercise therapy.

See ME/CFS.

randomized controlled trial (RCT) - A trial in which participants are randomly assigned to two groups, with one group receiving the treatment being studied and a control or comparison group receiving a sham treatment, placebo, or comparison treatment.

cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - A type of psychotherapy geared toward modifying alleged unhealthy thinking, behaviors or illness beliefs. One of the treatment arms used in the controversial PACE trial.

(APA) - The main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. Not to be confused with the American Psychological Association (also APA).

American Psychiatric Association (APA) - The main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. Not to be confused with the American Psychological Association (also APA).

World Health Organization (WHO) - "A specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with public health. It was established on 7 April 1948, and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO is a member of the United Nations Development Group. Its predecessor, the Health Organization, was an agency of the League of Nations." The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) is maintained by WHO.

See World Health Organization.