Emotional symptoms: Anxiety, panic, fear, stress and emotional exhaustion

Fear and anxiety for no apparent reason leading to hyperventilating and panic attacks 

Stress is a normal reaction the body has when changes occur, resulting in physical, emotional and intellectual responses. Chronic stress is dangerous and stress management training can help you deal with changes in a healthier way. 

Anxiety, panic or fear are all stress related and can cause related breathing issues tend to be a result of hyperventilation. Hyperventilation is also known as "over breathing," and it occurs when your body is receiving too much oxygen and is expelling too much carbon dioxide.  

Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). You may have feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations) leading to emotional exhaustion. 

Long Covid exacerbate the emotions and the sensibility, leading to patients becoming more anxious and experience panic attacks. 

Given the intense emotional shifts and challenging new daily routines faced by Long Covid patients, psychological support is essential for their adjustment and recovery. 

Sources: 
The Calm Clinic, The Cleveland Clinic, the Mayo Clinic and Unisanté  

  • Physical symptoms: 

    • Aches and pain 

    • Dry mouth 

    • Sweating 

    • Chills 

    • Nausea 

    • Diarrhoea 

    • Rapid breathing 

    • Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing 

    • Exhaustion or trouble sleeping 

    • Headaches, dizziness or shaking 

    • High blood pressure 

    • Muscle tension or jaw clenching 

    • Stomach or digestive problems 

    • Trouble having sex 

    • Weak immune system 

    Mental symptoms:

    • Anxiety 

    • Fear 

    • Panic attacks 

    • Sadness 

    • Depression 

    • Agitation or irritability 

    • Poor concentration 

    • Confusion 

    • Loss of memory or memory getting significantly worse  

    • Difficulty speaking 

  • Simple actions to begin, that you can do right now:   

    • Daily breathing exercises 

    • Daily resonance breathing (cohérence cardiaque) 

    • Daily mindfulness meditation 

    • Soft music 

    • Daily cold shower or put cold water on your face  

    • Presence of calm and empathetic persons (because solitude can increase anxieties) 

    • Calm activities as drawing, singing, garden, walk in nature (forest) 

    • Calm environment without noise, tensions or stress 

    • Social, creative, simple and leisure activities 

     

    Additional actions to go further: 

    • Relaxation techniques  

    • Delegate administrative work which is source of stress… 

    • Hypnosis 

    • Acupuncture 

    • Regular cryotherapy (chamber or in lake or ocean)

    • Reference to a specialist in psychiatry or to a caregiver specialized in mental health 

    • Prescription of anxiolytics (if the level of anxiety is intolerable) 

    Tests:

    • Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) 

    • Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) 

    • PRIME-MD 

    • PICHOT scale 

    • CHADLER fatigue scale

    • GAD-7 anxiety scale

    • Patient Health Questionnaire, Depression Scale, PHQ-9

    • Psychotherapy 

    • Cognitive behavioural therapy 

    • Psycho-corporeal approach 

    • Group therapy  

    • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy 

Find out what has worked for others experiencing your symptoms.

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