Complications
Chronic symptom presentation, loss of functional capacity, and limited social support may place people at risk for depression. Depression may also predate the onset of ME/CFS. Mild-to-moderate levels of depression are treated with cognitive behavioural psychotherapy or evidence-based pharmacotherapy. More severe levels of depression (e.g., suicide risk) should be referred to psychiatry and treated with evidence-based pharmacotherapy. In one UK-based study, suicide-specific mortality was found to be significantly increased in patients with ME/CFS compared with the general population (standardised mortality ratio 6.85, 95% CI 2.22 to 15.98; P=0.002) indicating the need for physician awareness and compassionate care.[212]
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