How Many Had Chronic fatigue syndrome? (page 2)

Aunt Fancy

I can tell you from my experiences it nearly destroyed my life. I was a very healthy active young 28 year old when I got baptized. A year later I was on anti depression meds and then diagnosed with CFS. It got worse as the years went on and then add other health issues to this. I then was diagnosed with Fibromylgia and it took me down a deeper path. A year before I woke up my husband was scared to death and we sought help with a natural doctor and a therapist along with a great chiropractor that cared about my health. I turned some things around with their help. There are problems that will never go away but I am no longer takeing any of the anti depression drugs I was on for 30 years. My whole like has changed for the better. My heart goes out to others that have suffered in the way.

stuckinarut2

I do not wish to offend any here who actually suffer from this, or any other illness. I genuinely feel for you.

My experience while in Bethel though was similar to the comments the OP mentioned. Whenever someone was discouraged, or wanted to leave bethel, (or in later years when someone wanted to leave pioneering), then the only legitamat way amongst witnesses was to have "CFS".

It seems that this meant no one would questioned the decsion. But if someone just said something like, "I would like to do something different in life now, and leave bethel or stop pioneering", they would be judged as being "spiritually weak or self centered"....unless the magical "illness" card was played!

The greatest tradgedy this all did was to make the genuine sufferers look bad or like they were faking it!

Such a twisted scenario...all based on the constant oppresive culture of the witnesses!

Bungi Bill

At one stage, both my wife and two teenage daughters were all diagnosed as having CFS (then referred to as ME, and earlier than that as "Tapanui Flu")

Their illness was genuine, too - my wife, in particular, would have dearly wished that she was merely faking it! As a consequence, I am less than kindly disposed towards those who hold that CFS is a bogus illness.

Around the same time as this was going on, it was estimated that at least 5% of the publishers in our circuit were afflicted with the same complaint.

Significantly, in the now 20 years since I broke with the JWs, I have not known even one person who is suffering from this illness. During the eighties, ME was often described as the "Yuppie disease." A better description might be the "Dubbie disease."

Bill

jwfacts

Many JW's that I knew. Jack Porter had it for a number of years, though I think he was fine by the time he was appointed to the Australia branch committee. There was another sister in the same congregation of Bradbury that also had it. My cousin-in-law claims to have it. He diagnosed it shortly after joining the religion, almost 20 years ago, and still claims to have it.

CFS seemed to replace Candida as the JW disease, which was popular amongst JWs in the 70's and 80's. Depression seems to be taking over from CFS now.

I was never sure with most as to whether it was made up as an excuse, or if it was real with them and exacerbated by the religion.

nonjwspouse

It is thankfully one illness my husband doesn't have. If any of you diagnosed with CFS, have you been tested for narcolepsy? The symptoms are very similar, also has symptoms of ADD. But the sleep disorder is the case sometimes and many, many Drs don't test for the sleep disorder. Some of the treatment is the same, but there are btter meds for narcolepsy.

krejames

Absolutely loads ! And nearly all pioneers or ex pioneers. I knew one sister in another cong who never leaves her sofa except to go on holiday. Maybe she knew TTATT and was using it as her exit strategy - but actually no, she's a bit of a self righteous judgmental type.

blondie

Does anyone hear about hypoglycemia among jws? That used to be a frequent one especially noted when having a speaker over, CO, DO, pioneer school, etc.?

Comatose

I have known several with CFS. One close friend who passed a few years ago had it as a teen... But, now looking back we know he was abused by a pedophile in an old hall. So it may have been depression.

In my old hall the morbidly obese sister had thyroid problems that several doctors couldnt diagnose. She finally did find a doctor that agreed she had a thyroid problem. Good thing the new system is mere months away.

OnTheWayOut

Magnum, thanks for confirming.

Julia Orwell, thanks for sharing. Again, I do not doubt CFS is real. Just thought others might have seen the incredibly high numbers among JW's who didn't really understand their depression and lack of energy.

Sorry to hear your troubles, LisaRose. I wish you strength. Yes, many JW's are not able to honestly look at why they don't want to do things. And again, most CFS JW's really were depressed or tired or both. I just comment that they weren't ready to understand why it was that way. It is hard for others to feel sympathy if they look healthy. I think many of us who have left have also learned not to judge others so quickly, so I hope we are better about that now.

Aunt Fancy, thanks for sharing. I never had the lack of energy, but did go through the depression. I never had to take pills for it, but did used to self-medicate with alcohol. I am glad you turned your situation around. Me too, with the help of counseling.

stuckinarut2, I think you struck on something important there. The culture at Bethel demanded a medical-sounding excuse. While it may not have been quite that rigid outside of Bethel, it was a lesser part of that same culture. True sufferers would be lumped in with those that need an excuse.

Bungi Bill, that's pretty accurate- Dubbie Disease. I think the high percentage of JW's shows that many with reasons to be depressed are diagnosed with (or just decide to claim) CFS, when it may be something to do with the religion. CFS is real, I am confident. So is depression and cognitive dissonance. I think all of us are aware of how the JW life causes such things.

jwfacts, I wonder if straight up "depression" is emerging as the big problem because it's more acceptable to actually be depressed or because those who suffer cannot worry if it's more acceptable or not but are just admitting the truth. Also, it might have to do with the greater flow of information these days causing JW's to carry more cognitive dissonance and that makes their brains hurt.

nonjwspouse, thanks for the thoughts. Yes, please- anyone with depression or lack of energy needs to see a doctor. There are so many that come to JWN with actual depression (and damned good reasons to be depressed). Please seek the help you need. JWN is good to help, but it is only a bit of help.

krejames, I didn't see it that high where I was, but you share the same general notice of it that I felt. Very high among former pioneers.

Good question, Blondie. I know that some C.O.'s and their wives would talk about hypoglycemia. That's very serious to claim, so I won't say they didn't all have it. I don't know. I just wondered if the C.O.'s and wives were taught something at some school about telling congregations they needed special diets and to have medical reasons why that was so. Special diets were all the rage in the late 90's and early 2000's.

Comatose, yes- the new system was always right around the next corner to fix this and other problems.

cult classic

Illness is the only way out for a JW. I knew quite a few Bethelites/pioneers/missionaries who developed CFS. Tons of food intolerances, digestive and repetitive stress issues for JWs serving fulltime also. One thing I noticed with JWs, common illnesses are very exaggerated. A simple cold can knock them out for several weeks. Allergies are another big one for the friends. And to their credit, it does get them out of a lot of jams. Don't want to go to the bookstudy (back in the day) at the stinky house, return visits and bible studies? Just blame your allergies!

One of my aunts has always claimed to be a diabetic. She's never been overweight and she always gets the symptoms backwards when complaining about it. She also gets out of the meetings/field service for at least 5 months a year starting around November when her annual cold turns into bronchitis. She discovered that combo worked wonders about 15 years ago. She never gets tired of the coughing and shortness of breath...lol

My uber righteous, judgemental, and very hypocritcal mother claims to have CFS and fibromyalgia and asthma (two other very popular JW illnesses). Whenever she doesn't want to do something, one of the three flares up instantly....roflmao

How Many Had Chronic fatigue syndrome?

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