McManimen, Stephanie L, McClellan, Damani, Stoothoff, Jamie et al. · Journal of community psychology · 2018 · DOI
This study looked at why some ME/CFS patients experience suicidal thoughts and depression. Researchers found that patients who felt blamed for their illness, had their symptoms minimized by others, or felt socially rejected were more likely to experience both depression and suicidal thoughts. Importantly, some patients had suicidal thoughts without meeting the criteria for clinical depression, suggesting that stigma and unsupported social interactions alone can be harmful.
This research highlights suicide risk in ME/CFS as a serious public health concern and identifies modifiable social factors—stigma and unsupported interactions—rather than just disease severity as contributors to mental health crises. Understanding these risk factors can help healthcare providers and communities better support patients and potentially prevent tragic outcomes. It also validates patients' experiences of being disbelieved and marginalized.
This study cannot prove that stigma and unsupportive interactions *cause* suicidal ideation, only that they are associated with it—correlation is not causation. The cross-sectional design means we cannot determine temporal relationships or rule out reverse causality. Additionally, findings are based on self-reported diagnosis without clinical confirmation, limiting generalizability.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
McManimen, Stephanie L, McClellan, Damani, Stoothoff, Jamie, & Jason, Leonard A (2018). Effects of unsupportive social interactions, stigma, and symptoms on patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.. Journal of community psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.21984
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-mcmanimen-2018-effects-unsupportive,
author = {McManimen, Stephanie L and McClellan, Damani and Stoothoff, Jamie and Jason, Leonard A},
title = {Effects of unsupportive social interactions, stigma, and symptoms on patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Journal of community psychology},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1002/jcop.21984},
note = {PubMed: 30311972},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/mcmanimen-2018-effects-unsupportive},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-25. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/mcmanimen-2018-effects-unsupportive
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