Dolphin said:
I find the underlined sentence odd. The authors seem to suggest more rest could be useful but then say with this that rest won't help. I think this may be influenced by the pro-CBT/GET environment in the UK.
My guess is that the Fukuda definition, in an apparent effort to exclude overtaining or anything else that could be entirely cured with rest and support (the "clarification of ambiguities" paper made clear they were not discussing PEM), says, "not substantially relieved by rest" and I think this is confusing to people who don't understand the illness.
What they need to grasp really isn't all that difficult; just isn't well explained in what they've been reading: a vacation or other rest can't fix a long-term patient, but rest does reduce certain symptoms day to day, and enough rest may make a modest difference over months.