Diana Rosdolsky – Lingering Illness and the Expat Life in Austria

Experiencing the symptoms of long COVID during an extended stay abroad can be daunting. Not only are you experiencing debilitating symptoms, but you are in a foreign country and possibly not well-versed in the intricacies of the Austrian health care system. You may also not be fluent in German, and cultural misunderstandings can make it difficult to take the steps needed to understand and obtain necessary medical treatment. 

But what exactly in long COVID?

Long COVID refers to the lingering long-term effects of the illness, often lasting for months and at times going away only to return again. Symptoms include, but are not limited to:

• exhaustion
• brain fog
• insomnia
• shortness of breath or a chronic cough
• weakened sense of smell or taste

Experiencing these physical symptoms can exacerbate psychological issues. Moreover, old trauma experiences such as abandonment, neglect or abuse can be triggered. 

It’s easy to develop anxieties and/or depression when your body isn’t functioning the way it was before the illness. 

Psychotherapy can help to …

• gain clarity about the connection between physical and emotional problems, 

• gather the emotional strength needed to manage any anxieties and/or depression, 

• better deal with a new orientation in your daily life forced upon you by the illness.