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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think having covid messes with you psychologically?

58 replies

Hatsuma · 18/09/2021 20:22

I am out of isolation today having had covid, and I feel shell-shocked, like I’ve been through an ordeal that I can’t really put into words.

A friend caught it at the same time and so we’ve been talking every day, and he feels the same. It’s been completely different to having any other virus, although physically the symptoms were no worse than a bad cold or flu, it’s just been gruelling getting through it.

I think for me it was every day just feeling the exact same, too feeble to get out of bed to get a drink, my head pounding, loss of smell and taste, confused and dizzy. It really felt like it would never end, with other viruses usually there’s some kind of change for better or worse day to day but this was a solid week of just feeling exactly the same, and then it lifted.

Both my friend and I have had some really dark moments mentally with it. My low point was I think Wednesday night when I woke up from a nightmare which triggered my PTSD in a way that hasn’t happened for years, and meant I couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night. I’ve had a lot of weird/vivid/bad dreams since I got ill. With other viruses I’ve had, I’ve known that I am physically fucked but my brain has been happy to just wait for my body to recover, but it really felt like covid got into my head too.

Am I talking complete cobblers or does covid affect your mind as well as your body? I’m not sure I’ve explained it too well, like I say it’s hard to find the right words.

OP posts:
User3456 · 18/09/2021 21:38

YANBU. It's documented that covid can cause mental health issues in people that have caught it, I know someone personally that this has happened to as well. Hoping it quickly passes in your case, please speak to your GP if it continues, really hope you feel better soon
www.healthline.com/health-news/people-with-covid-19-more-likely-to-develop-depression-anxiety-and-dementia#Other-viruses-impact-mental-health,-too

ivfbabymomma1 · 18/09/2021 21:54

DH got covid last March (right at the very start) and he was so poorly with it. It's the first time I'd seen him cry in 9 years.....

lazylinguist · 18/09/2021 21:57

I just had fluey feeling, loss of taste and smell, sore eyes and extreme tiredness. Really not fun, but didn't in any way mess with me psychologically tbh.

JustPloddingAlong123 · 18/09/2021 21:59

The worst part of covid for us was the isolating. We have had worse colds.

TheGrumpyGoat · 18/09/2021 22:01

Yeah the isolating was what messed with my psychologically. The illness was minor in comparison to being stuck at home with 2 primary aged children and a toddler who didn’t understand why he couldn’t go out.

shas19 · 18/09/2021 22:07

The fatigue is the worst. I had it 3 weeks ago at 20 weeks pregnant. I've never in my life felt so weak, even just standing up was awful.

Lex345 · 18/09/2021 22:09

It absolutely does. I have always been good at maths, for example. As a nurse I had to do a lot of drug calcs regularly with no problem at all. Aside from crippling anxiety, self doubt and the stress that made me walk away from nursing earlier this year, I tried to do a maths problem the other day and I couldn't do it. I felt like I had cotton wool in my head, the numbers wouldnt make sense.

colouringindoors · 18/09/2021 22:13

*I think there's a massive extra stress or anxiety of lying there with this thing that we've heard about non stop for 18 months and how it's hospitalising and killing people. It's scary, even if your symptoms are mild.

It's the not knowing if and how it's going to progress or worsen.*

That was exactly my experience. Unlike any other illnes I was so frightened as to how serious it might become. That anxiety is so different from other diseases. My oximeter was a big reassurance.

colouringindoors · 18/09/2021 22:14

I also think it had a medium term negative impact on my mental health.

Soontobe60 · 18/09/2021 22:20

My dh has come out of isolation today too. He wasn’t too poorly, had a couple of days where his chest really hurt, has a bad cough, a couple of days with a bad head and aching joints. Lost his smell and taste. But the greatest impact has been on his mental health. When his smell and taste went, he really became anxious. I think he was really scared that he’d end up on a ventilator. He’s been double vaccinated and believes that’s why he didn’t get too ill.

Didyousaynutella · 18/09/2021 22:24

I found it tough but mostly because I was expected to isolate with three young kids whilst sick. That nearly broke me, I think the stigma makes it worse.

MatildaIThink · 18/09/2021 22:29

It is nothing to do with Covid itself and everything to do with all the hype and paranoia around it. Some people see it as some huge battle, life and death for perfectly healthy adults who are getting no more than a bad cold from it. Unless they end up in hospital it is their own choice of how to react and their own psychology, rather than anything to do with the disease itself.

TheGrumpyGoat · 18/09/2021 22:36

@Didyousaynutella

I found it tough but mostly because I was expected to isolate with three young kids whilst sick. That nearly broke me, I think the stigma makes it worse.
Yes this. I had to look after 3 very young kids while ill myself, no respite as no one else could have them, and I knew we were being judged for having caught it (people seem to think you only catch it if you break ‘the rules’ 🙄)
Bumpsadaisie · 18/09/2021 22:41

Tested + today.

Yesterday was in a total panic at work about things that I would normally take in my stride. Cancelled a much-wanted appointment at 6.30pm not becuase I felt ill particularly, I just felt I couldn't DO it!

All becoming clear now!

DH has it now too - further in than me - he says he is having moments of real anxiety.

godmum56 · 18/09/2021 22:49

@MatildaIThink

It is nothing to do with Covid itself and everything to do with all the hype and paranoia around it. Some people see it as some huge battle, life and death for perfectly healthy adults who are getting no more than a bad cold from it. Unless they end up in hospital it is their own choice of how to react and their own psychology, rather than anything to do with the disease itself.
I am not sure you are right although I think the pandemic milieu has made it worse. I had flu as a teen some 50 years ago and had similar dark mental moments. very dark dreams, hallucinations and anxiety/depression. I had no previous issues and once I was over the illness and the convalescence, i was fortunate to have had no recurrence. I remember the GP, who visited because my Mum was so worried, saying that is was a known part of having flu badly and that I would get through it and he told me to try to hang on to the fact that it was the illness and that i would get better. Physically I didnt have the symptoms so badly but the mental and emotional part was horrible. My Mum, bless her would sit with me at night when it got bad. I had flu again when I was in my 40's and while I was physically ill the second time, i didn't get the other symptoms again.
Memoriesofanoldlife · 18/09/2021 22:50

Yes completely.

I had it back in March 2020 and had bad stomach (tmi) and just slept a lot…weeks later, my body and mind just went nuts. A very frightening time and something I’ve never experienced in my life. Nightmares, but almost as if I was awake, being woken up abruptly at night, feeling scared, very scared, it was a horrific time for a few months, still not 100 % but don’t want to ever go through that again

CatAlice · 18/09/2021 22:58

I don't agree that it's to do with the hype. I tested positive 6 weeks ago. I have underlying health problems but double vaccinated and assumed it would be mild. I was almost relieved to get it over with as it seemed so many people have had it.
I did end up in hospital and I'm still recovering 6 weeks later but in the first week or so I felt very emotional and weepy which is so unusual for me. That did wear off as I got more ill, strangely.

MatildaIThink · 18/09/2021 23:01

@goodmum56
Flu tends to raise body temperature which can cause issues with dreaming, at particularity high body temperatures when awake even heat induced delirium. There is however nothing about the virus itself that impacts the brain, it cannot cross the blood brain barrier.

SpringCrocus · 18/09/2021 23:08

I had it 14 months ago, was very ill, and yes weird dreams, hallucinations, the lot. Very scary.
And Long Covid stuff, yes still weird dreams/hallucinations

Branleuse · 18/09/2021 23:10

I feel like the psychological effects of the whole pandemic have been huge and continue to be. Its changed us. Im sure when in the thick of actually having the virus its got to be scary

Memoriesofanoldlife · 18/09/2021 23:10

@MatildaIThink I thought covid could though?
I’ve had very high temps, been almost delirious etc, this was nothing like any of that, it’s effects were so odd and frightening it makes me paranoid about the whole virus

MatildaIThink · 18/09/2021 23:21

Thought Covid could what?

Thesnakeminder · 18/09/2021 23:25

I’ve been left very weepy by Covid. I’m not usually sensitive but am crying at the tv! Apologies for changing the subject but has anyone experienced new incontinence of urine since Covid? I feel as though I have a slight prolapse (I’ve not had children) and a constant leak, presufrom non-stop coughing.

Cicicat · 18/09/2021 23:26

I got it when double vacced and was pretty mild. But the sense of smell loss was odd and did have some weird dreams about being out and about and people telling me 'what are you doing out! Go home you have covid!' Nothing else really. Also felt relieved to ' get out the way' in a sense and feel like my immunity should be pretty strong for next good few months

GabriellaMontez · 18/09/2021 23:26

I think you're describing many nasty viruses. A high temperature can cause lots of the things you describe like the dreaming and difficulty sleeping.