I think it kind of depends on what kind of information you're looking for really. I do a lot of reading/research because I have post covid syndrome. I know that there's a lot of evidence out there suggesting long term mental health issues from covid. Nothing is solidly known about how to treat it and the particulars of why it's happening.

I do know that there's a lot of theorizing that inflammation is believed to be tied into it all. Even outside of Covid, inflammation is increasingly thought to be a possible cause of depression. The smell/taste stuff is not considered a mental issue though and that's something that there's a kind of therapy being used to improve it.

They're training people to use their sense of smell and remind themselves what things smell like, etc.

Pretty much everything, WHAT is happening, WHY, and HOW to treat it, as well as board certified psychiatrists that WILL treat it

There's tons of info on it happening, but like most covid related things and hell, mental health things in general, very little is definitively known beyond there being a correlation. You don't need to know what is causing a mental health issue to get treatment for it though.

I also know that the more the severe the Covid, the more likely someone is to experience all sorts of post-covid symptoms.

I think the smell/taste stuff is a symptom that might signal or be a warning sign of mental long hauler things to come.

I had mild covid March 2020 and am still battling post covid symptoms, which are much worse than my covid! The worst of them are Chronic Fatigue and Parosmia (distorted sense of taste and smell). I am receiving treatment for both though the Parosmia is pretty much done by myself.

kirsten_corleone: I've certainly not heard of anosmia/parosmia being a sign of mental health problems - to me the two are unrelated, though they appreciate conditions that can seriously impact on your mental gealth

sorry I can't edit my typos - that should read that they are certainly conditions that can have a serious impact on your mental health

My daughter had mild covid in November '20. Her taste and smell was gone for a year and it has started to come back slightly, but is NOwhere near what it was pre-covid and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Her other issues she is suffering from are much more severe. Psychiatrists are not really ready to think its COVID related though.

Most research is suggesting the loss of smell and taste is something to do with olfactory neurons being damaged, as I recall. Although as Carolyn suggested, I'm sure it does have impact on mental health.

At the end of the day, if it's caused by Covid or not is irrelevant to treating mental health. And I'd kick any psychiatrist who is giving her a hard time with treatment to the curb.

We still do not definitely know what causes MOST mental health issues. It's all a guessing game.

I think about it this way. taste and smell happens by nerves/neurons in the brain. COVID damages those in some way. I don't understand how that is not brain related and anything that can harm your brain in one way, can harm it in other ways.

OhCecilia: absolutely, my understanding is that the work I am doing with smell training is helping my neurons mend the messed up pathways - and after 18 months I am finally seeing signs of recovery.

I understand you seeing a correlation but they don't believe the virus can reach the brain because there's a barrier (forgot what it's called). However, some believe that this doesn't rule out inflammation issues which regardless of covid, some believe is a potential cause.

ZsaZsaZ: I'm glad to hear that! I only had parasomia for a week and it was awful. I feel my smell and taste is still not 100% but I haven't been bothered enough to work on smell training. I have a bunch of other issues I need to address first.

I think Cecilia made a really important point, and whether or not mental health issues are cause by covid is almost irrelevant, what matters is getting the right treatment

kirsten_corleone: I read the book mentioned in this article a few months back and found it fascinating. Depression: the radical theory linking it to inflamm... It may be somewhat helpful to you and your daughter.

OhCecilia: it's awful, the only way I've stayed sane is take it a day at a time and keep trying to find "safe" food and getting creative - my current gimbap experimentation is born of finding out nori is the best thing taste wise right now.

There are SO many post covid syndrome symptoms that drs don't understand but they are still treating them. I have tachycardia and my cardiologist said he's been seeing TONS of post covid folks for heart issues and they do not understand why it's happening at all, but treat regardless. Your daughter may want to consider looking for a post covid treatment ...

Maybe. I guess my view is clouded by my own perception as a speech languge pathologist. A child can have speech and the output will look very similar. Unless you differentially diagnose and find the specific disorder causing the speech issue, you will not be able to treat it correctly. The treatment for the different types of speech disorders are different

program/facility.

I'm not disagreeing that understanding cause makes treatment WAY more effective. I just know that there's so little understood and known right now about both mental health and post covid syndrome and any decent dr will treat regardless.

OhCecilia: fascinating article, going to have a good read

ZsaZsaZ: the book is a great read too, if you're ever inclined.

and by treatment, I mean different types of therapy. Right OhCecilia , I know there are so many unknowns, but with telehealth I was thinking leading doctors in the field might be more accessible to my family. I just don't know WHO they are. I can't imagine there are not doctors that have already or will start to specialize in this.

and I mean leading psychiatrists that are studying and treating Mental Long hauler patients

kirsten_corleone: I see where you are coming from, but I think the knowledge base on covid symptoms is still in its early days so conditions need treating regardless of whether they can be confirmed as covid related or not

OhCecilia: yes, I am definitely going to take a look at the book,vthank you

Because post-covid syndrome encompasses such a broad range of symptoms, most treatment is being handled by individual drs that focus on the specialty related to the symptom. The one good thing about a post covid treatment program is that it helps you figure out what specialists to see for the symptoms and they usually have the drs working together so it's...

more wholistic.

I think there's always going to have to be a team of drs to treat, but maybe in time 1 dr will be the sort of general of the army of drs, if that makes sense.

Luckily, therapists and psychiatrists are increasingly using telehealth because of the pandemic. I've never seen my psychiatrist or therapist in person. I do think that both even though there's a physical component to mental health issues (caused by covid or not) and people can benefit from medication, a therapist is crucial too. Regardless of the cause of..

In my case I was assessed at a long covid service who then referred me to the relevant specialists - they don't have a central wholistic approach because symptoms are just too wide ranging. This is the UK though, and of course things are changing all the time.

mental health issues, a good therapist will give you tools to process/deal with what's going on

my treatment has all been via telehealth - online workshops, one to one phone calls, I've not seen a single therapist in person since this began.

ZsaZsaZ: I got lucky because the post covid program I joined was part of a hospital/large medical practice. So they share all the info with fellow practice drs.

OhCecilia: oh that sounds so much better, there is no coordination for me, it is all separate services and I never see my gp, she probably has no clue where I am at, so I have to just get on with it myself

I hope this has been somewhat helpful! Just having a mother that supports her and takes this all serious is a big help, I promise.

I totally agree - I just have my brother but his support has helped me get through this - it makes a HUGE difference

I lost my taste/smell in october with covid. I think for the most part I have it back, but I still find that certain things may not taste right to me or all I taste is salt/sugar and not much else. I also suffered from really bad covid brain fog for about two months. It has let up but I find I still want to sleep a lot

and I'm more irritable. Perhaps I still have some lingering affects of covid affecting my depression/anxiety

I hope they can find more answers that can help your daughter. There is so much we still don't know about this illness.