When you’re asked to describe yourself in a short amount of time, your words have the potential to make or break your first impression. This is particularly true during job interviews, but it’s also an important question that might pop up in college applications or even while pursuing volunteer positions. In any context, it’s important to choose your words carefully so that you come off as positive and confident. It’s even more critical to make sure you’re not using words that aren’t appropriate for the circumstances.
The game of “Who am I?”, created by Jungian psychologists Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers, is a classic party game for people who want to learn more about their personalities. It works by assigning each person a famous name or figure. The player then writes down that name on a sticky note, and hands it face-down to the person next to them. Then, each player takes turns asking questions about the famous figure in hopes of deducing who they are. The person who guesses correctly wins the game.
Although the cause of ME/CFS is unknown, it’s likely that the illness has a genetic predisposition and is triggered by infection in the majority of patients. The hallmark symptom is post-exertional malaise (PEM), a sudden worsening of symptoms after physical, cognitive or mental exertion. The illness is relapsing and remitting, meaning that symptoms may fluctuate from day to day or week to week.
Unlike many other conditions, ME/CFS has no lab test and requires careful clinical assessment by a doctor to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms. Because of this, some patients go years before being properly diagnosed.
There are a number of treatment options for ME/CFS, including “pacing”—matching your level of activity to your available energy—and the use of pain-relieving and antidepressant medications. Some people find that their symptoms improve over time, but others remain ill for a long period of time.
The National Institutes of Health has awarded ME research centers to encourage new studies of the disease. There are also a number of advocacy organizations that can help you find medical providers who specialize in ME/CFS, and support groups for people with ME and their families and friends.
ME/CFS is a very complex and challenging condition that affects every aspect of your life. It’s not just a physical illness; it also affects your emotional and psychological well-being, and impacts your family, social life, career and hobbies. You may find yourself having to cancel plans and miss events that you used to enjoy, or you might have difficulty finding work. But there is hope: The more awareness that is raised, the more funding and resources will be available to help you. This will allow us to continue our research into this devastating illness and hopefully find a cure in the near future.