Long COVID impacts multiple organs throughout the body, including the brain, affecting both physical and mental health. Attempts to understand the syndrome’s workings are ongoing, and providers must still often guess at the best combination of treatments. Based on research, clinicians writing in the journal Nursing Times say that patients’ physical and mental symptoms need to be addressed holistically with an integrated care approach.*

Mind and body inseparable

As with similar conditions such as postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), the authors say, it’s “impossible to separate the physical and psychological symptoms of Long COVID,” so they must be treated together.

PoTS is when the heart suddenly beats faster as the body changes position, such as when you stand after lying down. Sweating and shaking may also occur. All these symptoms could be mistakenly attributed to anxiety, but experiencing the symptoms themselves can also induce anxiety, thereby worsening the condition. Additional symptoms reported by both Long COVID and PoTS patients include symptoms associated with depression: difficulty concentrating, remembering, and sleeping; brain fog; and chronic fatigue.

Studies show that some people with Long COVID have other mental health struggles, as well, including:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Acute stress/adjustment disorders 
• Living with the stigma of a poorly understood condition

Older adults, people living alone, and those on long-term sick or disability leave are considered to be at higher risk for Long COVID-related mental health challenges. 

The increased risk is linked to both the virus’s aftereffects and the psychological impacts of being sick.

A holistic, integrative approach

A holistic approach is standard practice now in many areas of physical and mental health. 

Mental health strategies or therapies you may be offered could include:

• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Mindfulness training
• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for PTSD
• Psychotropic medication
• Psychoeducation, goal setting, and mental health condition management training

For poor sleep, which can exacerbate both physical and psychological symptoms and lead to increased anxiety, the authors recommend:

• A complete physical exam
• Advice on good sleep hygiene
• Muscle relaxation techniques 
• Education on medications affecting sleep
• Avoiding caffeine and alcohol

For people with cognitive dysfunction, they advise:

• Memory aids
• Managing exacerbating factors
• Neuropsychology
• Speech or occupational therapy

Discuss all your symptoms with your healthcare provider to ensure that they are all addressed, and don’t hesitate to inquire about potential therapies or techniques, even if they have not been offered to you.

 (If you’re in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention 24-hour Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text TALK to 741-741, or visit http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.)

*Stucke, J., Maxwell, E. & House, J. (2022, June 27). Long Covid 2: supporting the mental and physical needs of patients. Nursing Times [online], 118(7). https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/long-term-conditions/long-covid-2-supporting-the-mental-and-physical-needs-of-patients-27-06-2022