A new pandemic study, carried out by Luxembourg’s National Research Fund and the Hospital Centre for Neuropsychiatry (CHNP), has shown that Long Covid often causes complex and varied psychological symptoms, highlighting the need for personalised treatments that address not just physical recovery but also mental health and social well-being.
While the physical effects of the condition – including fatigue or loss of taste and smell – are well known, the psychological consequences have been less thoroughly explored until now. Research was conducted from 2020 to 2022 with over 1,200 Long Covid patients from Luxembourg, Germany, and Switzerland, aiming to improve understanding of these mental health impacts and inform more tailored treatment approaches.
Like many chronic illnesses, Long Covid is frequently accompanied by mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Charles Benoy, scientific research coordinator at the CHNP, who contributed to the study on its behalf, explained that the aim was to determine whether Long Covid patients tend to experience similar psychological patterns, as is often the case with other chronic physical illnesses, or whether, due to the complex nature of the disease, the psychological symptoms are also highly varied.
The study found that mental health issues among Long Covid patients are indeed common and diverse. Psychological symptoms often differ depending on a person’s lifestyle, and interestingly, they tend to be more pronounced when the physical symptoms are less severe.
For example, someone working in the hospitality industry who loses their sense of taste or smell may experience significant distress due to the impact on their job and day-to-day functioning, increasing the risk of serious psychological strain.
The findings underline the need for personalised treatment strategies.
According to Benoy, patients cannot simply be categorised based on the severity of their physical symptoms alone. Those with milder physical symptoms may still experience severe psychological consequences, particularly when their condition disrupts key aspects of their personal or professional life. Effective care, he noted, requires a combination of physical rehabilitation, psychological support, and social interventions tailored to each individual’s circumstances.
Although no definitive treatment has yet been found for the physical symptoms of Long Covid, this study marks an important step in supporting patients by helping to address the often-overlooked mental health challenges, ultimately improving their overall quality of life.
