Better Living Through Thinking

Chronic Fatigue: Is it all in my head?

Thu, 08 Sep 2005

Psychology Today.com

<http://articles.health.msn.com/id/100108845/>

"If you ask a person who is depressed, 'What would you do tomorrow if you were better?' they say, 'I don't know.' Chronic fatigue sufferers will give you a list of 10 things."

The body's stress response may be crucial to triggering diseases like chronic fatigue. Stress activates the body's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to a surge of the hormone cortisol, which suppresses the immune and other bodily systems. If some outside agent such as a viral infection comes along during a period of high stress, the system may overreact or even spiral permanently out of whack.