Fibromyalgia is a serious and complex chronic condition, characterized by widespread pain throughout the body, which cannot be explained by injury or illness. In addition, fatigue, sleep problems, memory problems, depression and difficulty concentrating may also occur. Often the pain associated with fibromyalgia can come and go for months and even years. Fibromyalgia can become debilitating at times, often having a serious effect on your entire life, including work, relationships and ability to function in day-to-day life.
Work Effects
Fibromyalgia can have a serious impact on your life, including the ability to work and succeed. Having widespread chronic pain can make many activities difficult, and work is no exception. When restful sleep is an ongoing problem, you experience muscle and joint pain daily. You run a high risk of depression and difficulty concentrating, which can render many work tasks impossible to do well or at all.
Family Effects
Interpersonal relationships can be deeply affected by chronic illness. Not only does depression, a primary risk from fibromyalgia, harm relationships, it also makes enjoying a relationship difficult. Whether with family, friends or children, when a person is depressed they lose the desire to foster these relationships. Relationships also suffer due to chronic pain, as it makes any activity difficult to try, and also exhausting. This can further discourage family and friends from trying to continue to have meaningful time together.
Overall Functioning Problems
All chronic conditions are difficult, and fibromyalgia is no exception. Continual muscle and joint pain, coupled with fatigue and restless sleep, makes even the smallest of daily activities difficult. Dishes, laundry, caring for children, sitting in a chair to pay bills, using a pen to write a check all become challenging--if not impossible--for someone suffering from fibromyalgia. Eventually, as the condition worsens, and at its worst flare-ups, you may need help just to complete these basic activities.
