Re: Media Alert- Elle Magazine Article

July 18, 2002

Jacqui McCallister wrote:

> The August 2002 issue of ELLE magazine features an article by Judith

> Warner, " The Thin, Successful Woman's Disease, " that suggests the cause of

> 'invisible illnesses' such as CFIDS and FM is really psychological and

> anxiety-based. Warner recounts her experience seeking a diagnosis, and

> implies that many women fixate on being ill when physicians cannot find a

> cause for their symptoms, which prevents them from addressing their 'real

> problems.'

I went and read this and thought it was just darn right pitiful! She

claims she and her husband knew from the start that her medical issues

were caused by anxiety, so why did she go to a dermatologist, then an

allergist, and whatever the last one was who diagnosed her with mvp? So

she gets on the internet, sees that the boards for MVP claim all kinds

of weird symptoms (I'm not stating this, but paraphrasing her), and

decides *everyone* must avoiding their anxiety, so they can claim their

wonderful diseases and symptoms. I was particularly " impressed " with

the doctor she got to quote who said that we have all these wonderful

secondary benefits from being ill.

I just wanna know, what and where are all these wonderful secondary

benefits that are always being toted as the reason why we're happy to be

ill? I only have a couple of people who give me sympathy, and there

isn't a lot of that, not to mention I don't *want* any. You can't even

say " oh, well, she got to quit her job and stay home to do whatever she

wants. " I may have quit my job, but I'm certainly not doing what I want

to at home. I am often stuck not having the energy to do anything

besides watch tv. Watching tv is not high on my " fun to do " list.

Ba Humbug!

Darcy

July 18, 2002

hi darcy, and everyone in the group,

im new to the group,i read what that woman wrote in the magazine and just got

really pissed off.my mother and i have heard the same thing for years, that our

fm was all due to stress and anxiety.well, obviously this woman is not up with

the times, because there is now a test that can be perfomed by a spinal tap type

thing.many of us, having had many tests performed by different doctors, knowing

family history and our own oservations and studies, have had to deal with people

(professional or not) telling us we just need to " get it together " . well,smiling

despite, i say to hell with the lady in the magazine what do you all say?? sorry

for being so touchy my first mssg to the group ,i guess it just touched me

deeper than i expected.

terri

Darcy Stockstill catstamp@...> wrote: