Cfs Quote by Alison C. Bested
““To differentiate between symptoms of depression and anxiety secondary to ME/CFS and psychiatric disorders, ask the patient what they will do the next time they have a “good day”. A patient with ME/CFS will have a long list of ideas whereas a patient with major depressive disor- der will say they can not think of anything they enjoy any more. Patients with an anxiety disorder will have a list of reasons why they won’t be able to do or enjoy the activities.””
About This Quote
Source Medical Journal Article, 2021
Differentiating depression from anxiety in ME/CFS relies on patients’ future‑oriented activity planning.
In simple terms: Patients with ME/CFS list many ideas; depressed patients list none.
Key Takeaway
Ask about future plans to clarify diagnosis.
Themes
diagnosis
mental health
ME/CFS
Mood
analytical
empathetic
Type
clinical
educational
When to use this quote
- primary care
- psychiatric evaluation
- rehabilitation
Key Concepts
clinical assessment
patient interviewing
Questions to Reflect On
- What follow‑up questions can clarify ambiguous responses?
- How can clinicians support patients with low motivation?
A Different Perspective
Patients may struggle to articulate future plans due to cognitive fatigue.
![“Historically in the literature CBT [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy] was inappropriately touted as a cure for patients with ME/CFS if they changed their “belief system”. ME/CFS is a physical illness and not a psychological illness, therefore CBT cannot cure ME/ CFS. What CBT can do is to help…” quote by Alison C. Bested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3ea/alison-c-bested-63335_books_historically-in-the-literature-cbt-cogni_2076792.jpg)
