Sirotiak, Zoe, Adamowicz, Jenna L, Thomas, Emily B K · Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025 · DOI
This study looked at anxiety and depression in people with ME/CFS using data from a large U.S. health survey. Researchers found that people currently living with ME/CFS reported much higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to people without ME/CFS. Interestingly, people who previously had ME/CFS but have since recovered still reported higher anxiety and depression rates than those who never had the illness, though the rates were lower than for those with current ME/CFS.
This research highlights that psychological symptoms are a persistent feature of ME/CFS that warrant clinical attention and support. Understanding that anxiety and depression remain elevated even after recovery suggests these symptoms should be monitored and treated as part of comprehensive ME/CFS care.
This study cannot determine whether depression and anxiety cause ME/CFS, result from ME/CFS, or both—it only shows they are associated. The cross-sectional design means we cannot know the temporal sequence of symptom development. Additionally, the study cannot explain why psychological symptoms persist in some people after ME/CFS recovery.
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
Sirotiak, Zoe, Adamowicz, Jenna L, & Thomas, Emily B K (2025). Depressive and anxiety symptoms in current, previous, and no history of ME/CFS: NHIS 2022 analysis.. Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-024-03854-2
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-sirotiak-2025-depressive-anxiety,
author = {Sirotiak, Zoe and Adamowicz, Jenna L and Thomas, Emily B K},
title = {Depressive and anxiety symptoms in current, previous, and no history of ME/CFS: NHIS 2022 analysis.},
journal = {Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1007/s11136-024-03854-2},
note = {PubMed: 39579271},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/sirotiak-2025-depressive-anxiety},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/sirotiak-2025-depressive-anxiety
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