Treating Long Covid’s Mental Health Symptoms

FYI: This article from the L.A. Times is a good example of how information affects perception. When the residual effects of the initial Long- COVID cases became apparent with multiple system illness, medical providers became increasingly aware of mental health issues as the consequences of a physical illness. Some of the mental health issues cited were: 1) Fatigue: Reported by 32% of COVID-19 survivors 12 or more weeks after diagnosis. 2) Brain Fog/Cognitive Impairment: Reported by 22% of COVID-19 survivors 12 or more weeks after diagnosis. Even two years after infection there is an increased rate of cognitive impairment. 3) Anxiety: Symptoms reported by 35% of adults with Long-COVID six months after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. 4) Depression: Reported by 41% of adults with Long-COVID six months after onset of COVID-19 symptoms. 5) Sleep Disorders: Reported by 30% of adults with Long-COVID. Empathy is needed when evaluating and/or treating Long-COVID