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Your challenges and the resources you have to deal with them will vary depending on your situation.
Just as people with CFS and fibromyalgia differ in their symptoms, the severity of their illness and the number of illnesses they have, so do they come from many different life situations. Some are young; many are middle-aged; some are older.
Some are married, while others are single. Some are raising children, while others are empty-nesters. Some are in supportive relationships; others in conflicted ones. Some are financially secure, while others are struggling. All these factors affect your ability to respond productively to CFS and FM.
Your situation includes two other significant factors: your coping skills and your attitude, both of which can be changed. Research has shown that people can learn effective skills for managing long-term illness, either on their own or through groups and classes such as those offered by the self-help program.
The attitude that seems to help is one that is both realistic and hopeful. We call it acceptance with a fighting spirit. People with this attitude combine recognition that life has changed with a conviction that they can find ways to improve.
Describe your life situation by filling out the My Life Circumstances section of the worksheet.
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