“Memes” as Infectious Agents in Psychosomatic Illness
Authors: Stephen E. Ross
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1999)

Medical Writings7 December 1999"Memes" as Infectious Agents in Psychosomatic IllnessStephen E. Ross, MDStephen E. Ross, MDUniversity of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80262 (Ross)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-131-11-199912070-00019 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Can a mere idea cause medical pathology? Many authors would say yes. It has been claimed, for instance, that fibromyalgia, the irritable bowel syndrome, and the chronic fatigue syndrome are iatrogenic—that these are not simply methods for classifying illness, but that these nosologic constructions actually induce and sustain illness in susceptible persons (1). The contagiousness of eating disorders has also been remarked upon (2). This contagion is not the result of any classic pathogen (a microbe or a toxin)—instead, a socially constructed script of anorexia nervosa or bulimia is transmitted from person to person. Intangible disease constructions also appear to ...References1. Hadler NM. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and other iatrogenic diagnostic algorithms. Postgrad Med. 1997;102:161-77. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Brumberg JJ. Fasting Girls: The Emergence of Anorexia Nervosa as a Modern Disease. Cambridge: Harvard Univ Pr; 1988. Google Scholar3. Hall W, Morrow L. "Repetition strain injury": an Australian epidemic of upper limb pain. Soc Sci Med. 1988;27:645-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Cleland LG. "RSI": a model of social iatrogenesis. Med J Aust. 1987;147:236-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Colligan M, Pennebaker JW, Murphy LR. Mass Psychogenic Illness: A Social Psychological Analysis. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates; 1982. Google Scholar6. Boss LP. 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Schwaber, MD, MScUniversal Selection Theory: Implications for multidisciplinary approaches to clinical psychology and psychiatryIdiopathic Environmental IntoleranceGulf War Illnesses: Causes and ControversiesLa fibromyalgie doit-elle passer le siècle? 7 December 1999Volume 131, Issue 11Page: 867-871KeywordsAnorexia nervosaBehaviorChronic fatigue syndromeDisabilitiesFatigueFibromyalgiaIrritable bowel syndromePathogensProteinsVirulence factors Issue Published: 7 December 1999 CopyrightCopyright © 1999 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...