How many people suffer from M.E.

How Many People Suffer From M.E?
There are no statistics on the numbers of people suffering from M.E. but it is estimated that around 110 - 150,000 people suffer in this country at any given time, and this is increasing all the time.

What Kind of People Suffer From M.E?
M.E. isn't "Yuppie Flu". This unfortunate tag came from the United States, and was probably invented by the US media. In fact, M.E. strikes people of all ages (including very young children and very old people), from all social classes. There does seem to be more women than men with M.E, and the reasons for this are not known.

One thing is true of the vast majority of people with M.E. - they want to get better.

The idea that people with this illness somehow "want to be ill", or that they are "malingering" is absolute nonsense. Most of them had an active, enjoyable lifestyle before becoming ill, and would like nothing more than to return to it.

How Long Does M.E. Last?
Many people experience a period of what is known as "post-viral debility" - after having flu', for instance.

This may feature many of the symptoms of M.E, but rarely lasts more than a few weeks. In a majority of cases, it may last longer, and it is generally agreed that if it lasts longer than six months, and the symptoms correspond, then it may by considered to be M.E.

M.E. can last anything from a few months to decades in some unfortunate victims.