Neurasthenia and Chronic Fatigue

Theory and Practice in Britain and America

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2397323
AutoresSimon Wessely (0000-0002-6743-9929, autor de correspondencia)
Año1994
Volumen31
Número2
Páginas173-209
Fecha de publicación1994-06-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaTranscultural Psychiatric Research Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0041-1108 • E-ISSN: 0315-4386
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/136346159403100206
OpenAlexW2047602578
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas13
Referencias citadas64

The symptoms that make up the construct of neuras thenia, including fatigue and exhaustion, are dimension ally distributed in the community. The decision to create a category called neurasthenia is an arbitrary one, influenced by issues of severity and morbidity. The prevalence and nature of the resulting concept are also substantially influenced by the decision on how to classify the close relationships among excessive fatigue, depression and anxiety. Superimposed upon this classi fication is a second, parallel structure of illness beliefs. The original construct of neurasthenia as a physical disease that resulted from overwork, was of consider able utility to both doctors and patients. This early concept of neurasthenia can be recognized in the modem revival of interest in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in Western cultures. The current highly charged atmosphere surrounding these diagnoses reflects the issues of legitimacy and non-legitimacy in illness, usually expressed in competing physical and psychologi cal explanations of ill health

Anxiety · Chronic fatigue · Chronic fatigue syndrome · Construct (python library · Depression (economics · Disease · Legitimacy · Medical diagnosis · Neurasthenia · Overwork · Political science · Psychiatry · Computer Science · Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research · Law · Medicine · Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation · Neurology and Historical Studies · Psychology