Fibromyalgia Is It Psychological (Page 1)

Is arthritis psychological and physical? I don't think so, nor is any other autoimmune disorder. The only reason I think those of us with fybromyalgia get tossed into the psychological bin is that it is so hard to diagnose that the doctors (including many I saw) use psychology when all else fails. In my case I was told I had depression before getting a clear diagnosis of fibro. I went through treatment for depression and discovered that I was very, very different. I had no stresses in my life that would cause depression, other than the extreme pain. Likewise, none of the other folks I met with depression suffered from any physical pain. I discovered that my pain levels had no correlation in my life with any stresses. The pain would come and it would go quite apart from what was happening in my brain. I finally saw a psycholoigist who started off by telling me that my pain was real, genuine, physical pain and not psychosomatic (as my doctor thought) or the result of depression. He said he could do nothing for me and that I needed medical help. I am getting help now and do not see the slightest reason to consider this disease to be anything other than a disorder with genuine physical causes and nothing more.

once you have it no one will ever need to ask that question again!!!

it is 10000000000% real physical pain!!!!!!!!!!

beleive me its real. the problem with some conditions is that it gets blamed to being all in the head because either someone cant see that there is something wrong or they dont understand cause they cant feel what you feel.---to these people id like to give it to them for oh say 10 min. then tell them to live like that for a long time. (they usually say no thanks.

It's not the least bit psychological, but sadly that stigma is so hard to get rid off. More education, getting the word out about it, that is the only way to relieve those of us that suffer from it from the stigma of "it's all in your head." We can do a little, but really it's doctors who need to educate themselves more and the medical community that needs to spread the message that this is very real and very troubling for a lot of people.

Saying that it is completley physical is a little bit misleading though...It is a physical condition in which your body feels genuine pain. However, women who have an SOME sort of anxiety disorders are more likely by 35% to suffer from fibro. Some doctors link it to sleep disorders... So what I am trying to say is though it is physical syndrome it can be exacerbated by mental things.

"So what I am trying to say is though it is physical syndrome it can be exacerbated by mental things."

I think that could apply to nearly every disease and condtion there is. I just think it's really important to erase any notion that fibro (or chronic fatigue for that matter) is a psychosomatic or psychological condition.

I agree entirely that it is 100% physical. I am a man, and not a woman. My first problem was a heightened sensitivity to odors, then came the increasing insomnia, and then came the increasing pain - all physical disorders and not at all related to any stress.

hi everyone, i'm cindy, i think that it is REAL! when ever something like this comes along and no one can fix it, they say it is psycological. that is just a way to shift the blame back on to the patient. love cindy

I wasn't saying it it wasn't physical disorder. I have it I know it is physical. However, there are psychological links to it, science backs that...I also know that when I get stressed it is worse. And saying that it applys to every syndrome is silly, because it doesn't.

Saying stress makes fibromyalgia worse and saying fibromyalgia is partly a psychological problem are two different things. Maybe I'm hyper sensitive to it considering it took many years of being told I was depressed and it was all in my head before I got a diagnosis of fibro and cfs, but I think saying it's partly psychological implies it is caused by depression or anxiety disorder or some other psychological condition that causes psychosomtic symptoms. Stress does not fall into this category. Everyone experiences stress. Everyone does not experience depression, panic attacks, etc.

And, yes, it is proven that "mental things" as you say, such as positive or negative attitude can play a role in even diseases like cancer.

"but I think saying it's partly psychological implies it is caused by depression or anxiety disorder or some other psychological condition that causes psychosomtic symptoms."

but it can be caused by mental disorders...And I know what it is like to be told that I have depression, and I just didn't know it! But science backs it that fibromyalgia has physical and psychological links.

ok 32 here and have been fighting this for at least 10 yrs and i have read other posts and got really upset belive me it is all physical pain ok maybe you get depressed but anyone would that has to live with this horrible thing. I never thought at 32 i would be not able to work two bad knees and living sometimes is to hard to face so yes yes yes it is real

I have a good friend who struggles with fibro and has been for many years. She has seen many specialists and is learning that it is also connected to her emotional past and life.

Fibromyalgia is real disease. Most doctors are finally admitting that now. If you have a doctor that doesn't believe it, (mostly old school doctors) than it's time to find yourself another doctor. There's a new med out there called lyrica and I'm currently taking it and I swear it's a miracle drug. Ask your doctor if it's right for you. You will be amazed at how much better you feel. Your pain with be tolerable and you'll almost be back to normal.
Sincerely
Gina McNamara, RN

A lot of people who are dx with fibro find that they have a sleep disorder, such as not having a lot of the deep stage four sleep. During that stage, you get the deep sleep needed to rejuvenate your body. I have over 200 alpha sleep intrusions in one night. As a result, I wake up feeling immense pain. I believe there is a correlation. Some days are better than others. So, with mine there is proof that I do have something.

I will never forget when I first experienced fibro symptoms. My former primary doctor gave me a bunch of blood work and when they all came back negative, he said that everything is in my head and referred me to a psychiatrist. Well, it is in my head when you consider that a sleep disorder is neurological. The pain centers are in my "head" as well that was telling me, "You are in pain!"

That was the worst doctor I ever had!! I fired him. I have never felt like such crap. I was in SO much pain I could hardly drive to the doctor's office and then to be told that I am "imagining" it all, just threw me over the edge.

I heard that new medication works wonders. I had a friend who took it for her severe fibro and it did make her gain 30 pounds. She said it wasn't worth it. Gina, is that a common side effect?

There has been much research done correlating levels of neurotransmitters to Fibromyalgia. This is a correlation of PHYSICAL symptoms. When I was diagnosed with Fibro, my Doctor pointed out that anxiety disorders often accompany Fibro. The anxiety was presented to me as a symptom...not a cause.

Other psychological issues (such as depression) are often worsened by the presence of severe pain, are they not? I don't think that psychological disorders should be looked at as the source of Fibro, but as a symptom instead.

Many suggested treatments are behavioral changes that would make a regular person feel healthier (such as an anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, or massage therapy). I think that it's safe to say that people who tell us that "It's all in your head" don't understand how much every little bit counts.

So, to anyone who wonders if this is all just manifested psychologically: you're not crazy. The pain is real, but don't ignore your anxiety or depression because it can make you hurt even more.

--Keep Smiling

I took doctors 7 years to figure out that i have fibro.Most of them i said i was crazy and needed get professional help.I was never depressed but now i do start getting pretty weird mood disorders.Such as being in good mood then couples hours later extremely cranky.i do believe that fibromyalgia can have a effect on your moods and behavior.Good luck.

hi there, im actually just after abit of info if any of you could possibly help, for about a year now, iv been going to my doctor tellin him i have pain all over my body, headaches everyday, constant fatigue, n just generally feel like i should be in bed, well the doc has done nothing for thispast year but fob me off, all my blood works have come bk completely fine bar a bout of anemia here and there which has now cleared up, all hes done is told me i need t put weight on, tho it started when i was at a very healthy weight! although i do have to say these problems did start when i was very stressed, and full of anxiety as i was in a bad relationship that was basically ruining my life!! anyway i split with that person over a month and half ago and have been suffering with this pain now worse than i ever have! im literally lying in bed as i type in unbelievable amounts of pain! and i know myself there is no reason what so ever i should be in this pain, i feel like crying it hurts that much! tho right now im actually so much happier than i have been in a long time! i do stress quite alot tho if im honest! but then i always have so surely this wouldhave started years ago if it wasnt real pain??? all i want t ask is what are your symptoms??? im sick of the doc telling me theres just nothing worng with me! n 'i need t break the cycle' tho he has no idea what cycle hes even talking about and neither do i!!! so if i could ask what your symptoms are maybe i can get abit closer t finding out if maybe fibro is something t take back to the doc for consideration!! (comes to something wen you have t self diagnose!!!) xxx