I've had CFS and I still find many of the "sufferers" completely insufferable. I don't know if this is a UK phenomenon, a western phenomenon, or just a thing that people do, but the majority of people who choose to disclose to me that they have a mental illness are self-diagnosed. CFS is one of those things (like ADHD and Asperger's) that is very appealing to people who have certain problems. I don't think this disease will be taken seriously until we actually have diagnostic criteria, proper names, proper understanding... Overall, acceptance of mental issues as real problems is definitely growing in this country.