Ever since you were a little child and you got cranky when you needed a nap, you understood that mood and emotions are often tied in to how tired you are. Even as an adult today, you know you are not at your best when you have not gotten enough sleep. Your temper gets shorter and you may be more apt to cry at tear-jerker movies and YouTube videos of family reunions. People with chronic fatigue syndrome live in a state of tiredness all the time. Just imagine how effective their emotions might be.
What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
This medical diagnosis is given to people with various symptoms and complaints that all revolve around an fatigue that does not get better after a good night sleep or even multiple naps. Despite being what is thought as well-rested, people with chronic fatigue do not get rejuvenated. Other symptoms can include a sore throat, headache, and even flu-like feelings.
Many other diseases and disorders can make you feel tired all the time. In order to receive a proper diagnosis, a physician that needs to address other possible causes first. People suffering from CFS often have psychological workups and undergo sleep studies as well.
How Does This Disorder Affect Emotions?
Besides the obvious correlation between being tired and being moody, chronic fatigue syndrome affects all emotions in rather severe ways.
One of the more common feelings is one of frustration and feeling fed up a lot of the time. Any chronic condition that affects your way of life and does not let you enjoy all the things you want to be experiencing will cause frustration. Some chronic fatigue syndrome patients report feeling trapped. It can make it difficult to hold down a job, maintain a lively social or romantic life, and even do individual hobbies and pastimes. As normality breaks down, some feel guilty when they can’t do things with friends or even do their job correctly.
Chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers have a considerably higher rate of depression than people with other chronic illnesses. Although no direct causation has been found in scientific research studies, the correlation is real. Besides feeling fatigued, tired, and cranky, just imagine piling on the lack of ability to follow your chosen career path successfully, always having to turn down friends and family because you are just too tired to go out, and loss of the ability to enjoy your significant other and children as you once did.
Not every chronic fatigue patient suffers from depression, but many do and this affects their moods and emotions overall. It is important to talk with your doctor about all the changes that you are experiencing so you can be properly diagnosed if you do have chronic fatigue syndrome. Besides help with that condition, also seek out help if you experience depression and negative feelings for most of your time.
Living with CFS can be a challenge for even the strongest person. Understanding how it affects your emotions can help you get the help you need and manage your symptoms better.