Mental health and wellbeing

Living with long COVID can have a real impact on your mental health and wellbeing. It can affect your quality of life, ability to work and relationships with others. Being ill for a long time can make you feel afraid, anxious, low or depressed.

You're likely to feel a whole range of different emotions:

• angry; why has this happened to me
• frustrated; you think your symptoms are improving and then have a relapse. You may feel others do not really understand what you're going through
• anxious; you do not know how long symptoms may last or when you'll be able to get back to your normal way of life
• lonely and socially isolated if you're unable to join in with the social activities you used to
• a sense of loss for the life you had before COVID

Worrying and thinking about your symptoms can actually make them worse.

During your recovery you'll have good days and bad days. Try not to dwell on the negative. Try to be kind to yourself and not be too critical.

If you’re feeling emotionally overwhelmed it’s important that you speak about your feelings to your GP or any other member of your healthcare team.

How to look after your mental wellbeing

There are things you can do to look after your mental wellbeing:

• stay connected; try to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues as much as you can manage and talk about how you're feeling. Stockport’s Long Covid support group gives you the chance to talk to others who understand what you're going through
• spend some time outdoors in nature; it can have enormous benefits for your mental health
• try relaxation techniques or mindfulness mediation
• do things everyday that bring you real enjoyment
• distract yourself when you do feel anxious, maybe call a friend or go for a short walk
• pace yourself and do not feel pressurised into doing more than you're capable of. Set yourself a realistic plan for the day with small goals that will make you feel good when you achieve them
• eat a healthy balanced diet, keep well hydrated and stick to a good sleep routine
• find out more about the 5 Ways to Feel Good

Joining a group for support

Joining a group gives you a chance to talk to others who understand what you’re going through.

Groups that may be able to support you include:

• Stockport ME Group
• Greater Manchester Long COVID Support

Further support with your mental health and wellbeing

The Supporting Long COVID Care website has information to help if you are finding it difficult to talk about your mental health.

You can refer yourself for free NHS online or talking therapies through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) service without needing to see your GP. These are online programmes completed in your own time, face to face, over the telephone or as part of a group or workshop.

Online therapy:

• complete in your own time and feel more resilient. Sign up for online programmes that fit into your life on the SilverCloud website
• with group and phone support fill out the Pennine Care referral form

If your symptoms are too severe to be helped by online or talking therapies, the Pennine Care psychological medicine post-COVID service may be able to help. This team supports people with complex physical, emotional and cognitive problems resulting from likely infection of COVID.

To access the service, you'll need a referral from any health and social care professional involved in your care. For more information visit the Pennine Care website.

You can also find information and details of other local support to help you improve your mental wellbeing.

Videos

TalkPlus have produced a range of videos to help people living with long term conditions to build resilience.

Relax, Breathe, Sing

Relax, Breathe, Sing is a UK wide singing group for people with MS/CFS, fibromyalgia and long COVID. Sessions are free and are on Zoom so you can sing from your sofa, bed or wherever it feels comfortable. It’s an opportunity to connect with others and sing. It's also good for your mental health and general wellbeing.