COVID-19 fatigue: Cognitive-behavioral therapy could help people manage persistent symptoms – new study

Although the novel coronavirus is no longer seen as a problem, global health emergencyand it remains serious illness. It should be noted that even mild cases can cause persistent symptoms such as: long coronavirus,to be able to hold something far-reaching effects About physical health, mental health and quality of life.

Fatigue is a common symptom of both COVID-19 and prolonged COVID-19. 8 in 10 adults They report experiencing it during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people find their fatigue improves within a few weeks, but this is not the case for everyone.Estimates suggest that 1 in 10 to 1 in 3 people still suffer from fatigue 6 months after COVID-19. They may or may not have a formal diagnosis of long-term COVID-19.

a Recent research suggests that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a widely used form of ‘talking therapy’, may help people experiencing persistent fatigue after COVID-19. increase. So what does this tell us?

CBT is commonly used to treat mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, but it can also be used for fatigue. For example, CBT is used as a treatment for people with conditions such as: chronic fatigue syndromeThere is a feature that overlaps with fatigue after corona.

CBT for persistent fatigue is based on the idea that changing how we think, feel, and act in response to symptoms can improve functioning and quality of life.

review of the evidence for CBT for fatigue recovery A paper published in 2008 showed that this approach was effective in reducing fatigue symptoms. However, these conclusions have since been called into question by inconsistent findings and concerns about the quality of the evidence.

a more recent reviews A 2019 study concluded that CBT’s effects on chronic fatigue syndrome are usually modest and short-lived. And about 1 in 5 patients undergoing CBT for chronic fatigue report worsening health after treatment.

UK guidelines for the management of chronic fatigue syndrome To help manage symptoms, improve function, and reduce the suffering associated with persistent fatigue, we recommend discussing CBT as an option for people living with this condition. However, it should be made clear to anyone considering CBT that CBT will not cure the symptoms.

In the absence of evidence to support one approach over another in the context of post-COVID-19 fatigue, world health organization Clinical guidelines also recommend discussing CBT as an option to support coping and improve functioning in patients with persistent fatigue after COVID-19.

What do you think of this new research?

across multiple centers Netherlands, 114 patients who experienced severe fatigue 3 to 12 months after the novel coronavirus outbreak were randomly assigned to either a CBT intervention or care as usual. Usual care may include supervision by a primary care physician, specialized physical therapist, and occupational therapist.

The 57 people in the CBT group received psychologist therapy for an average of 18.7 weeks. Treatment was delivered through a combination of video, email, face-to-face, and telephone consultations, allowing treatment to continue even when physical distancing restrictions were in place.

The CBT program focused on: Provide personalized support It utilized education, goal setting, and building skills to manage fatigue to address factors that can perpetuate fatigue. It also focused on addressing unhelpful beliefs about fatigue, COVID-19 worries, coping with pain, and improving relationships.

The researchers found that people in the CBT group reported less severe fatigue after treatment than those in the usual care group, which persisted at six months of follow-up. discovered. The CBT group also reported less chronic fatigue, fewer concentration problems, less severe physical symptoms, and improved physical and social functioning after completing CBT and 6 months later.

Things to keep in mind

Although these results are encouraging, this was a relatively small study and most participants referred themselves to the trial. As such, they may have been more motivated to participate in CBT than those who have had COVID-19 for a long time and routinely use outpatient services.

In the usual care comparison group, no placebo effect or General benefits Seeing a therapist can provide motivation, warmth, encouragement, and more. Whether differences were observed in the absence of a control group that could account for these effects, such as spending time with a therapist without receiving “aggressive” therapy or receiving another type of psychotherapy. is difficult to know with certainty. Differences between groups were specific to her CBT.

New or worsening symptoms since treatment initiation were recorded in 8 CBT and 20 usual care groups. In this sense, CBT compares well with usual care, which highlights the need to consider not only the benefits but also the potential risks of CBT in the management of fatigue after COVID-19. .

CBT may prove useful as part of multidisciplinary care for people with fatigue after COVID-19. However, better quality evidence is needed to ensure that appropriate control groups are used and that the potential harms and benefits of CBT are fully considered.

And importantly, while CBT may play a role in supporting people with post-COVID-19 fatigue, it does not treat or cure the underlying symptoms. The long novel coronavirus infection complex conditions It can be caused by multiple factors, including damage to organs by COVID-19, a malfunctioning immune response, and chronic viral infections. It is important to learn more about long-term COVID-19 prevention and treatment in general.

author

Rhiannon PhillipsReaders of Health Psychology, Cardiff Metropolitan University

This article is reprinted from conversation Under Creative Commons License.read Original work.

disclosure statement

Rhiannon Phillips is funded by the Welsh Government, Public Health Wales, Medical Research Council, Wales Health and Care Research, UK Cancer Research and the National Institutes of Health. She is a member of the British Psychological Association.

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Cardiff Metropolitan University Funded as a member of The Conversation UK.