BPS attempts at psychologizing Long Covid

Just further on that, in case anyone wanted to respond to Essen University:
from the BMJ: Mental disorders are highly prevalent in Germany
They found that "the 12 month prevalence for any mental disorder was 31%" in this random sample of German adults. PTSD was not assessed.

So, it's actually possible to say that mental disorders are less common in people turning up to the Essen Hospital with lingering effects of Covid-19.
Design:
Cross sectional study.

Setting:
113 communities across Germany; June 1998 to October 1999.

Population:
4181 adults, aged 18–65 years, randomly drawn from population registries (113 randomly selected communities and 130 sampling units). People who were hospitalised for the entire recruitment period were excluded.

Assessment:
The Mental Health Supplement (GHS-MHS) was a subsection of the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey (GHSCS) (n = 7124). Individuals who screened positive in a 12 item questionnaire in the core survey, and 50% of those screening negative, were contacted for a structured clinical interview. Participants were assessed for a wide range of DSM-IV disorders, their comorbidity and correlation with other factors. Data were weighted for 50% negative response exclusion, sex, age, and community. Prevalence estimates and odds ratios (using logistical regression) were calculated.

Outcomes:
Mental disorders (DSM-IV), including psychotic disorders, substance abuse, depression, bipolar mood disorder, anxiety disorders, and somatic and eating disorders. Subthreshold diagnoses were noted. Post-traumatic stress disorder and antisocial personality disorder were not assessed. Healthcare usage was assessed and reported as “at least minimal intervention”. Information was obtained via structured computer assisted clinical interviews (M-CIDI) by clinically trained personnel.

Follow up period:
12 months.

MAIN RESULTS
The 12 month prevalence for any mental disorder was 31%. Anxiety, depression, and somatoform disorders were most common (any mood disorder: 11.9%; unipolar depression: 10.7%; any anxiety disorder: 14.5%; phobias: 12.6%; any somatoform disorder: 11.0%). Eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and illegal drug abuse had the lowest rates (0.3%, 0.7%, and 0.7%). Prevalence of possible psychosis was 2.6%. Comorbidity rates ranged from 44% (alcohol abuse) to 94% (generalised anxiety), with 60.5% of individuals with mental disorders having a single diagnosis. Most disorders emerged at a young age (median age for lifetime disorders was 20 years); depression and psychosis started later (medians of 31 and 37 years). Increased rates of mental illness were associated with being female, single, low social class, or of poor health. Forty per cent of participants received “at least minimal intervention” and this rate depended on comorbidity (single disorder 30%, 76% for high comorbidity).

CONCLUSIONS
Mental disorders are highly prevalent in the adult German population with rates similar to other national studies. Disorders start early in life and are often comorbid.
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But we have the impression that a large part of the symptoms are triggered by subconscious psychological processes. This can also be treated very well. But the willingness to do so is less pronounced because psychological suffering is not so socially accepted.
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How is this different from "We have the impression that the symptoms are triggered by negative karma from past lives. This can also be treated very well. But the willingness to do so is less pronounced because people don't accept that they have behaved badly in their past lives"?

The only difference is that in the West, one narrative is culturally accepted and the other is not.

With these kind of views, the patients who need real help are going to run away quickly, leaving only the ones that are recovering anyway where everything you do will appear to work (until you test the treatment with a proper control group).
 
This idea of dismissing physical or physiological causes for symptoms of any disease or health problem if the people concerned have a previous psych diagnosis is just bizarre as far as I'm concerned. It suggests that being mentally ill automatically confers total protection on the patient from any physical disease.
 
Study: Long Covid symptoms mostly psychosomatic
The University Hospital Essen has presented a new study on long-term consequences after an acute covid attack. The head of neurology, Prof K., told MDR-AKTUELL that ten to 15 percent of acute patients fell ill with Long Covid. Almost 60 per cent complained of pathological fatigue. Other symptoms included concentration and memory disorders as well as depressive moods.

In the vast majority of cases, no organic causes were found. According to K., patients with psychological disorders are particularly susceptible to Long Covid. Therefore, unnecessary device medicine should be avoided in the treatment. Instead, the offers for behavioural and psychotherapies should be expanded.

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https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/deut...rus-montag-einundzwanzigster-februar-100.html



Dear @mdr,
You contradict your otherwise differentiated reporting on #longcovid here. Presenting this opinion as a study-based finding is not serious.
Corona ticker: Long Covid symptoms mostly psychosomatic according to study
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"It is interesting that people from the education and health sectors as well as from the service and administration sectors are represented much more frequently than, for example, craftsmen or construction workers. It seems to affect more people who are interested in health issues and who observe themselves more closely."

Construction workers and craftsmen don't work in packed classrooms or hospitals, offices and pubs! And how did they establish who is more interested in health and self monitoring??
 
Haveyoutriedyoga said:
"It is interesting that people from the education and health sectors as well as from the service and administration sectors are represented much more frequently than, for example, craftsmen or construction workers. It seems to affect more people who are interested in health issues and who observe themselves more closely."

Construction workers and craftsmen don't work in packed classrooms or hospitals, offices and pubs! And how did they establish who is more interested in health and self monitoring??
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You get this sort of reasoning with allergies and food intoleranse as well. "I don't ever have to deal with any fussy eaters when there are male construction workers as the table!" I was told after getting a long rant about women and academics and their fake problems.

Those males that don't see the doctor about their digestive upset or other GI symptoms, or like the one I met at the clinic who had been ill every time after eating for five (!) years. Not exactly something that is talked about in those circles. Stop being a sissy (Sorry to any males on the forum for the stereotype)
 
Large public funded psychosomatic study to research Long-COVID. It is led by the psychosomatic department of a university clinic in Munich with the participation of several clinics in other German cities. The announcement is from October 2021. https://www.mri.tum.de/news/psyloco...chosomatische-studie-zur-erforschung-von-long

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[...]
The aim of the project is to develop a therapeutic approach
The aim of the project is to develop a therapeutic approach that specifically targets the psychological and psychosocial needs of patients with Long-COVID. "Persistent physical and psychological symptoms coupled with slow recovery create great psychological and psychosocial distress in people with long-COVID,". This in turn contributes to a considerable deterioration in the quality of life of these patients. "Even if the possible biological and psychosocial background of Long-COVID is not yet clear, the identification and analysis of the specific needs of those affected is already important in order to develop effective therapeutic measures". This could also improve the quality of life and the general functional and performance capacity.

Modular therapy according to a kind of building-block principle
[...]
The various elements of the modular therapy are learning coping strategies and "resource-oriented distress management" - to put it simply: How do those affected manage to use existing resources in the best possible way for their own well-being? Furthermore, the focus is on dealing with persistent physical complaints and pain symptoms as well as improving affective symptoms and chronic exhaustion. The intervention also addresses the areas of social and working life as well as support for a return to work.

Digital programme planned after pilot study
The effectiveness of this therapy will first be tested in a pilot study. Afterwards, it is planned to develop a digital programme to reach a much larger number of people affected.
[...]
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Wonko said:
Nice of them look into this.

I have long thought that such people, departments could really help people.

Of course they may not like being custard pie targets, but that would just show their determination to help improve lives.
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They express themselves more cautiously than the neurologist from Essen, who says Longcovid without test results = psychosomatic.

But this clinic has or had a bad reputation regarding ME/CFS. (Not to be confused with the Children's Hospital in Munich which takes ME/CFS seriously.) The study does not sound encouraging to me, vague buzzwords, a digital self-help programme ... possibly just more patient blaming and waste of money?
 
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Modular therapy according to a kind of building-block principle
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Hmm, I imagine for all those with Long Covid who recover (the majority) some of the assistance this study mentions could be really helpful - the support for return to work for example. What's the bet that that good support is all rolled up with the psychosomatic overlay, so there's no way to tell which bits were helpful? (I haven't checked - I would be pleasantly surprised if the study had a design testing different combinations of the 'building-blocks' and the outcomes include meaningful objective ones).

The effectiveness of this therapy will first be tested in a pilot study. Afterwards, it is planned to develop a digital programme to reach a much larger number of people affected.
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They've been reading the BPS manual closely. A pilot study to fine tune the experimental design so that a positive result is assured - and then monetise the approach with a digital programme marketed to governments on the basis of cost-savings. @dave30th
 
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Arnie Pye said:
Doctors, researchers and scientists have obviously decided to turn the volume up on the gaslighting.
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It is astonishing how little critical assessment is being made by those in a position of authority. E.g. it has been established that case-control stratification via seropositivity is significantly compromised. And of course results are meaningless when cases are in control groups. As has been pointed out single-symptom comparisons are also meaningless in this context.

The guidance to let-it-rip amongst children carries enormous risk. This is currently the messaging in NZ now too, despite the fact that we have absolutely no data on Omicron's long term effects and poor vaccine uptake for 5-11. We've recently heard that Pfizer offers little protection against infection in the 5-11 yo group, also. But everyone now seems to have convinced themselves "it's mild" and "just a cold".

Similarly, everyone seems to have assured themselves that children's mental health will suffer unless they are in school and unmasked. It should go without saying that their mental health will suffer more from a lifetime of chronic illness or transmitting the virus to a vulnerable family member.
 
Covid: How could the pandemic have affected your brain?

"Memory loss, fatigue and trouble concentrating can be symptoms of having had coronavirus.

But scientists think people who haven't had Covid are also suffering increased tiredness, impaired decision-making and a lack of focus due to the pandemic.

Experts believe Covid uncertainty and disruption to routines have led to a phenomenon known as "pandemic brain".

A leading behavioural neuroscientist is now calling for more research into it.

"People form habits so we see friends on a particular day or enjoy a sport on a particular evening - and that lack of regularity can be quite challenging," said Dr Emma Yhnell."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-60558431
 
lycaena said:
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL ESSEN
Professor of medicine: I don't share the panic about Long Covid
https://www.waz.de/staedte/essen/me...k-gemacht-id234479215.html#Echobox=1643954140
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"True, heart and respiratory problems also occur. As a rule, these are still likely to be direct consequences of the acute covid-19 disease. We refer such patients to other places."
So...ongoing physical problems following acute covid are real, but they filter those people out and send them elsewhere. Then, some 90% of those left do not have organically caused ongoing physical problems. They only call the latter "long covid".

What???

Also, their filtering strategy seems to miss about 10%
 
Apparently a major barrier to recovering from COVID/long covid is believing that you wont.

No words on that one.

And also once physical tests are done you will know *for sure* whether there is anything physically wrong with you. This is news.

 
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