The Long Hauler Tragedy: More Frightening than Halloween Nightmares

For the past 30 years, still another group has suffered from the
trauma of an illness and then society’s reaction to their disability.
The illness is chronic fatigue syndrome. These patients, who prefer
the less-stigmatizing term myalgic encephalomyelitis, have a very
similar predicament to many COVID long-haulers. Because most primary
care physicians are unable to detect any biological abnormalities,
patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis are often considered to suffer
from depression, and health care workers often prescribe
anti-depressants and a recommendation to work out a few times a week,
in order to overcome their illness. Such treatments are often
effective when a person has a primary depressive symptom, but when a
person with myalgic encephalomyelitis, who already suffers extreme
fatigue and post-exertional malaise is encouraged to engage in formal
exercise, a relapse is very likely. With primary care professionals
expecting a quick resolution of their illness, and many work
associates and family members subscribing to this false rendition of
their illness, it is not too surprising that almost all patients feel
demoralized, not depressed

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mental-health-revolution/202010/the-long-hauler-tragedy