Getting to know yourself a little better is a great way to improve your self-confidence. There are many ways to do this, including ‘who am I’ quizzes and asking friends and family.
‘Who am I’ quizzes are a great way to get to know yourself a little better and find out what others think about you. There are many online resources and some of them are free to use.
Some quizzes have a few questions, while others have more. The key to success is making sure you answer all the questions in the correct order.
Try to use short phrases instead of long ones, or a single word in place of more than one. It’s also important to be accurate with your answers, so avoid using a lot of adjectives that could be construed as negative.
The symptoms of ME/CFS vary widely between patients, but most have problems with extreme fatigue that doesn’t improve after sleep or rest. People may also have trouble with concentrating, unrefreshing or disturbed sleep, pain, dizziness, problems regulating temperature and other problems.
Your doctor will diagnose you with ME/CFS by looking at your symptoms and medical history. They may also want to test you for other illnesses that can cause similar symptoms.
There are several diagnostic tests that can help your doctor make the right diagnosis, but these are not yet available for ME/CFS. They may include laboratory tests, and other physical or mental tests that can help pinpoint your illness.
It’s also very important to remember that ME/CFS is not a psychiatric condition, and it is not caused by a lack of exercise. However, you should still be cautious when doing physical activity if you have ME/CFS, as this can lead to worsening of your symptoms.
PEM – Post-exertional malaise
The cardinal symptom of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), which is a flare up of your symptoms that can occur after just about any activity, and is most often associated with physical activity. But it can also be triggered by cognitive overexertion, sensory overload or even a simple task like brushing your teeth.
You may have PEM immediately after an activity, or it can be delayed up to 24 hours. If your PEM lasts longer than a few days, it is usually a sign of a serious relapse.
ME/CFS is a complex and disabling illness that can leave you housebound or bedbound, with very limited mobility. It is a neurological disorder, but it affects people of all ages and backgrounds.
There is no cure for ME/CFS, but there are treatment strategies that can improve your symptoms and increase your ability to function. Your doctor will work with you to develop a plan that’s best for you.
You can get support from a network of people with ME around the world who are working hard to improve our lives and increase health equality for all affected by ME/CFS. We have established the #MEAction network and will continue to fight for health equality and to raise awareness for ME.