Abstract

SIR:Dr. Abbey syndromeand Dr. Garfinkcl proposed represents a medical fadit is the product and patients.that chronic and that, likeof an unwittingsimilarities.Then, arguethe dominantneurasthenia collusionin earlier times, between physiciansthe day. authorsusing a dominant that the expandingcultural model-gender-the role of women and conflictsIn contrast to the widespread acceptance the diagnosis of neurasthenia enjoyed, chronic fatigue syndrome has not been a welcome pigeonhole for ambiguous conditions. Derided as the Yuppic flu, it has met with resistance by nonpsychiatricclinicians who with diagnostic tend and to invoke treatment psychiatric failures. causes when facedbetween women’s ambition and social possibilities contribute to this diagnosis. They conclude that chronic fatigue syndrome is a culturally sanctioned form of illness behavior andthat the majority chiatnic disorder. of these patients suffer from a primary psy-bioethicist.is an urgenthere thatof Drs.a newfor theGarfinkel,There arc several authors’ conclusions, from their argument.neurasthenia and models,concerns we have with this article. The although reasonable, do not follow Although there are similarities betweenfatigue syndrome, they basis be“the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, because of its implied ‘organicity,’ is attractive to patients and is tenaciously upheld” and, like the neurasthenia it resembles, offers “theonly socially legitimate that excuse hangs for abandoning the workplacechronic whetherdoes orthat shouldthe twoor