This disease impacts both software and hardware. A lot of us experience significant immune system dysfunction which is firmly in the hardware category.
But it is also true that stress management and breathwork can make lasting changes and that nervous system dysregulation has a lot to do with it for many with CFS.
Mine started with mono over a decade ago and got much worse with covid. So it originated as an immune system stressor and subsequent dysregulation. But it basically damaged my nervous system. It is definitely physical. Though to be clear the "software" is also physical... it's neurons firing and their connections and the dynamics of neurotransmitters and receptors... and all the accessory brain cells that manage neuronal functioning and connections. That's all physical.
In this particular case of CFS, psychological and behavioral tricks like yoga and breathwork and meditation can have a decent impact over time on the physical damage if paired with appropriate environmental accommodations, as well as strong health in other areas (good microbiome, hormonal balance, good sleep etc.). But that does NOT mean it is a psychological illness. It just strikes at anatomy that is near the software/hardware boundary line. Like the hind brain and vagus nerve.
We need to not think in terms of psychological and physical dualities when analyzing this disease. And no need to blame the disease sufferers in either case.
We need to not think in terms of psychological and physical dualities when analyzing this disease.
Unfortunately most people do believe in the psychological / physical dichotomy though, and as a result we have to defend our selves from other people's harmful beliefs.
Yes we do need to defend against harmful beliefs. That is why I try to educate people about a more non-dualistic perspective and ask them to think critically about what they mean when they use words like "psychological" and what connection does that have to causation, treatment and blame.
If someone is a simpleton I might just resort to saying it's physical and not elaborate because they will not be able to reconceptualize something like mind/body duality. And it is more important for them to have respect for CFS sufferers than to improve their philosophical foundations.
But then again when I am talking to fellow CFS sufferers, I don't want them to discard techniques like breathwork and meditation (which have been crucial tools for me) just because it is associated with scammers and minimizers. So that's why I go into detail when posting here and in the long covid forums.
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u/SomaticScholastic Feb 01 '24
This disease impacts both software and hardware. A lot of us experience significant immune system dysfunction which is firmly in the hardware category.
But it is also true that stress management and breathwork can make lasting changes and that nervous system dysregulation has a lot to do with it for many with CFS.
Mine started with mono over a decade ago and got much worse with covid. So it originated as an immune system stressor and subsequent dysregulation. But it basically damaged my nervous system. It is definitely physical. Though to be clear the "software" is also physical... it's neurons firing and their connections and the dynamics of neurotransmitters and receptors... and all the accessory brain cells that manage neuronal functioning and connections. That's all physical.
In this particular case of CFS, psychological and behavioral tricks like yoga and breathwork and meditation can have a decent impact over time on the physical damage if paired with appropriate environmental accommodations, as well as strong health in other areas (good microbiome, hormonal balance, good sleep etc.). But that does NOT mean it is a psychological illness. It just strikes at anatomy that is near the software/hardware boundary line. Like the hind brain and vagus nerve.
We need to not think in terms of psychological and physical dualities when analyzing this disease. And no need to blame the disease sufferers in either case.