The Curiosities, Complexities and Confusion of Long Covid

As I write this, I find I have more questions than answers, however I am curious and observational by nature and this topic has been on my mind.

I am a Certified Counselor and Holistically minded Health Coach in WA state in private practice.  I have observed that over the last couple of years an interesting phenomenon has occurred in my practice.  I have had several female clients with long Covid symptoms who also have a history of profound childhood abuse.

Before we dive in there, I would also like to share other interesting observations.

It appears that much of the western medical community is not doing nearly enough for long Covid sufferers, and still arguing that this is strictly a biological medical issue.  To be clear, I am not commenting on any of this as a medical doctor- I am not one.

What I can say is that as a mental health provider trained in brain health and neuroscience, and as one who is trauma informed, rarely if ever is there any disease state that does not have a contributing emotional/ psychological factor or factors.

The mind and body are connected.  One affects the other.  Our thoughts and experiences have a profound effect on the body.   

Our minds are way more powerful than you dare to believe, and when you understand the power you can exert over your mind, the healing that can occur is a beautiful thing.

Please note something incredibly important here.  What I just said in the bold section above in no way says “it’s all in your head” which is a dismissive statement that sadly, way too many western medically trained physicians and psychiatrists have said to too many people in pain, when the limits of their ability to be helpful become evident.            

What I am saying is there is nearly always a stress/ trauma/ psychological “what we experience and think matters” component to sickness, disease and perceptions of pain and is really something to be much more curious about with those suffering with long Covid who are much more likely to be female by the way.

Allow me to illustrate an example.  I once had a client who complained of leg pain.  By asking her to engage in deep breathing and visualization, I encouraged her to visualize a scenario by which it would be likely her leg pain would increase. (It did).

Conversely, when I asked her to deep breathe and visualize another scenario- one that was radically different than the first, one much more pleasant and serene, her leg pain significantly diminished.

I experienced something similar many years ago in the throes of labor pains when I visualized many calm and peaceful scenarios to get through labor without drugs.  When a well intentioned partner tried to inject a different visualization that was not working for me, my pain increased.

Our perceptions of pain are real.  They get dismissed far too often or explained away or labeled by professionals who don’t know what to do with what their patients are presenting.

We can learn how to retrain our brain to think differently and therefore alter our experience of something in a brand new way when we get the right tools and practice using them daily.

Sadly, it can be much easier to just dismiss people rather than try to help them.  While I have empathy for a condition that is still poorly understood by most in the medical field, I don’t have tolerance for those who dismiss patients’ concerns, pain or anger.  Furthermore, I am reading that both exercise ( which can be very difficult for those with long Covid) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are both being discouraged by most in the western medical field. I find that interesting as well.

And that brings me to this point.  We need a more integrative holistic approach to long Covid and really many other ailments and diseases.

When we understand and factor in all the things that make us fully human and address each one separately, while understanding how they are all interconnected, then we can start to see and address human suffering, disease and pain through a whole different lens.

Being curious about a person’s physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, sexual, financial and relational health goes a long way to piecing the puzzles of human health and wellbeing together that paints a more accurate picture of what is really going on. This provides a broader backdrop for professionals to work together for the good of their patients to improve outcomes.

A holistic approach is what is needed and what the vast majority of people – those with and without long Covid would benefit from. Unfortunately, the medical model in the US is treat symptoms with pharmaceutical intervention, surgery or something else equally as limiting. 

Another observation given that many who suffer with long Covid are women.  There appears to be a correlation between childhood abuse and long Covid.

We know that severe or long term childhood abuse can produce changes in the body and brain in the following ways:

Alters the stress-response system -can affect autonomic nervous system regulation-

the immune / inflammatory regulation-  pain processing and central sensitization and

change metabolic and vascular function.

Long Covid appears to involve overlapping systems: immune dysregulation, autonomic dysfunction, altered inflammatory signaling, metabolic issues, and more.

The above information alone, should give pause to consider the necessity of an integrative holistic course of treatment.  As in any disease- the whole person is affected by their health so why aren’t we factoring that in with both diagnosis and treatment?

The short answer? That’s not how western medicine works – it is not about prevention or holistic care or getting to the root of health problems.  Its very existence is about treating symptoms once they occur.

My hope in writing this?  If you or someone you know is suffering with long Covid, be curious about how “alternative providers” can help. That may look like many different options.  Some suggestions are below.

Counseling or Therapy with a practitioner trained in somatic therapies, trauma care that is holistic minded.

Acupuncturists and Chinese Herbal Medicine

Massage therapy

Hypnotherapy

Chiropractic

Holistic Nutritionists/ Nutrition Educators

Ensure that you are looking at everything from your diet, to social support, and seek the wellbeing professionals that can help get you on the path to recovering your health, wellbeing and your life from this awful debilitating disease.

You deserve to be well.  

Looking for alternative practitioners?  Be sure to visit www.livewellkitsap.com/mind-your-health.