How To Recognise The Difference Between Depression And Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Is being depressed the same as having chronic fatigue syndrome? Many people including some professionals still believe that chronic fatigue syndrome is a mental health condition, that it is all in the sufferers head, so for this reason they relate it closely with depression.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and depression are in fact poles apart and two completely different conditions. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is finally being recognised as a physical condition, only being accepted as such by major health professionals around the world in the last ten years or so. The UK government accepted Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a physical illness officially in 2001 but there are still many doctors and health care workers who disbelieve this and are still diagnosing and treating the condition as depression.

Here is a list of some of the symptoms experienced by sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as you will see "Depression" can be a very real symptom, depression though is only one symptom of many, most of which, you will see are physical symptoms.

Extreme exhaustion following physical or mental exertion - a sufferer will feel a lot more fatigued than the normal person would in the same circumstances

Flu like symptoms

Restless Legs Syndrome - having to move the lower legs to gain relief

Pain in joints and muscles

Increased risk of cold and virus infections

Headaches - which occur regularly and are more intense than usual

Depression

Stomach Pain

Constipation and/or Diarrhoea

Dizziness

Extreme Insomnia

These are the most common symptoms that sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome will experience. Each person is different and will have different symptoms than the next, some will only have some of these symptoms whilst others may well suffer all of them and more as well.

To date no actual cure for this condition has been found, due mainly to the fact it was always thought to be psychological condition and people were diagnosed wrongly and treated for depression.

Research is now being carried out into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which will hopefully result in a cure for this condition being found.

For now at least, most people with this condition will be diagnosed properly and treated correctly.

If you suffer from any or all of the above symptoms and have been told "it is in your head" or that you are suffering from depression then you need to re-visit your family doctor and discuss this with him or her. There is a lot more information out there now and most doctors will recognise the distinct difference between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and depression.