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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- An unhappy childhood may be linked to severe fatigue and chronic aches in adulthood.
A recent study revealed people who experienced emotional pain and trauma early in their lives are at greater risk of suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a health condition that affects between 400,000 and 900,000 adults in the United States.
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CFS is defined as an unexplained continuous or recurring fatigue that may be accompanied by headaches, memory loss, and muscle pain. A direct cause for the syndrome is yet to be found.
Researchers in Wichita, Kan. administered a questionnaire measuring childhood trauma disorders to CFS patients and individuals without it. CFS-diagnosed adults reported greater trauma incidence than those without the syndrome. Victims of childhood sexual abuse and emotional neglect had a stronger link with CFS.
In addition, individuals with CFS were more likely to show symptoms of depression and other psychiatric disorders. Researchers suggested this may be due to the patients' inability to manage anxiety and stress levels in the face of adversity.
'In fact, these disorders might reflect the brain's inability to adapt or compensate in response to challenge, leading toward maladaptive responses and ultimately disease,' the authors of the study conclude.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Archives of General Psychiatry, 2006;63:1258-1266:1267-1272
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