Index
What not to say and do
What to say and do
Awarenss is needed
Understanding CFS
CFS and the Difficulties
Emotions with CFS
My Letter to People Without CFS

I guess the simpliest way you can help is to learn about this disease. If you understand it and how it affects the CFS sufferer, you'll be better able to help. I'm hoping all this information and links will provide you with the knowledge on CFS. You can make a difference!!

The following message published by the M.E. Association of South Africa may help you to explain CFS/ME to others(taken from the MEssenger dated May 1997):

Far from being the "Yuppie Flu" or chronic "tiredness", depression or "burn-out", CFS/ME is revealing itself as a complex disorder of multiple body systems. The syndrome is characterised by unexplained, persistent and relapsing chronic fatigue, muscle weakness and abnormal muscle fatigue after minimal exertion, exteme malaise, brain dysfunction and many other distressing symptoms such as muscle and joint pain and migraine type headaches.

CFS/ME strikes with impunity with no preference for any particular ethnicity, social class or gender. Although this illness affects more women than men, as in other immune dysfunction disorders, CFS/ME strikes males and females of all ages. The illness is registered by the World Health Organization, Departments of Health around the world and is recognised by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta as one of the prevalent chronic diseases of our time.

The syndrome is not fully understood and its exact cause is unknown.  Reseach suggests that a person succumbs to CFS/ME after exposure to a trigger factor such as a virus, an immunisation, a toxin or some other precipitator. An abnormal immune response to a trigger is believed to occur in genetically predisposed individuals.

The course of the illness falls into roughly three categories: Som people will gradually recover over two to three years and eventually return to near normal health with few complications. The majority will improve to a plateau at which they continue for many years, with a pattern of remission and relapses, never regaining full pre-illness activity. They are able to live some sort of life, though with greatly reduced energy levels at somewhere between 50 and 70% of their former selves. Most cannot sustain fulltime work; some can work part-time with careful pacing of activity.  Up to 20% do not improve, becoming quite disabled and housebound for the rest of their lives. They need help with daily living and usually cannot manage alone. Of these a small number steadily deteriorate and often develop auto immune diseases and complications. These latter may be totally bed bound and unable to stand or walk.

There is, as yet, no definitive blood test to indicate CFS/ME. Diagnosis is done on a careful examination and history taking, guided by the diagnostic criteria published by the CDC (Fakuda et al.December 1994). With increasing attention and worldwide research, many international studies are showing exciting developments.

CFS/ME is a serious debilitating illness that disrupts families, destroys lives and has immeasurable cost to the economy. Those whose lives are affected by CFS/ME need your support and understanding.

Understanding of CFS is another important way you can help, so if you want to understand CFS, read Understanding CFS

Another way to help is to read CFS and the Difficulties. This will show you what CFS people go through all the time and what they have to say

Reading the Emotions with CFS is a definite step in understanding what CFS people go through. If you understand more, you can help more.

Understanding CFS is the most important issue in helping.  I guess that's why we have so many Home Pages - all of them trying to help others. Please read "My letter to People Without CFS"