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Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a condition characterized by a new and persistent fatigue unexplained by other conditions and resulting in a substantial reduction in the individual's activity levels. Current treatment includes psychotherapeutic procedures such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, pharmacological interventions, and graded exercise therapy. This article considers the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for the condition of CFS. The case study describes the use of EMDR with a 49-year-old male client who had suffered debilitating CFS for nearly 5 years despite accessing other treatment methods. After 9 sessions, the client indicated that his energy levels were significantly higher, his need for sleep had reduced (from 15-20 hours to 9.5 hours in a 24-hour period), and he was able to resume employment. Results suggest that EMDR may be useful in treating CFS within a personalized treatment plan.
Keywords: chronic fatigue syndrome; EMDR; treatment efficacy ; adaptive information processing; case study
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) affects over 1 million people in the United States (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2007). Figures from the Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME) Association (2007) reveal that CFS and related ME affect around 250,000 people in the United Kingdom. CFS is described as a "clinically evaluated, unexplained persistent or relapsing chronic fatigue that is of new or definite onset, is not the result of ongoing exertion, is not substantially alleviated by rest, and results in substantial reduction in previous levels of occupational, educational, social, or personal activities" (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2008). In addition, a diagnosis of CFS requires the concurrent occurrence of four or more associated symptoms (see Table 1).
CFS can affect all ages, from the very young to the elderly, but the peak age tends to be between 20 and 40 (CDC, 2007). Severity can differ widely among people, ranging from getting unusually fatigued following stressful events to being completely disabled. It is suggested that 6% of any CFS sample will recover over a 6-month period without intervention (Thomas et al., 2006). However, where intervention is required, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommends three options for treatment (NICE, 2007):
* Pharmacological interventions, including antidepressants and corticosteroids
* Graded exercise therapy (A sustainable baseline...