We want to give everyone affected by ME/CFS and Long Covid the opportunity to learn from the information we provide, benefit from the support we can offer, exchange views, make friends, and share experiences with people in similar situations. We know that many people have heartfelt views which is not surprising given the uncertainty surrounding these medical conditions. Yet there are some who seem
to have immense certainty in their opinions and, when that belief is challenged, respond vehemently, and criticise people unfairly. We must remember that different people make different judgements on the same facts. This may be because they have different objectives, but often it is because they see different options, select other information and interpret that information differently. So can I please ask everyone who uses the website and social media to respect the views of others. But personal attacks on others will not be tolerated. They add nothing to a reasoned argument, indeed they portray the writer in a poor light. The website and social media are for those of us at home, too ill to meet and make friends in the outside world. They give us an opportunity that our illness denies us. We can swap stories, tell how we have been treated, pass on practical tips. We can debate the science while remembering that the science behind ME/CFS and Long Covid is still unfolding. We can listen and sympathise, support and encourage. This is what the ME Association online community is for. The future for all of us with these devastating illnesses does not lie with personal criticism. It lies in good research, mutual aid, information and support. David Allen, Interim Chairman, The ME Association. Please read and familiarise yourself with the Community Guidelines and Standards via the link below:
https://meassociation.org.uk/community-guideline-and-standards/
