HOW HYPNOTHERAPY HELPED ME TO OVERCOME LONG COVID SYMPTOMS: MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

I was unlucky enough to be one of the people who contracted COVID-19, quite early on in the pandemic. While I recovered from the initial symptoms quite quickly, I began to experience a range of long Covid symptoms soon after. These included fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath. I lived with these symptoms for many months and found it hard to function in my daily life - work, relationships and family were just too much for me to manage. It was at that point that I did some research and decided to try hypnotherapy.

At first, I was dubious about the idea of starting hypnotherapy. However, I read about other people's success stories following their treatment and thought I had nothing to lose by giving it a try. This is how hypnotherapy helped me to overcome my long Covid symptoms…

Having Covid had made me feel very helpless in life. Hypnotherapy was effective in helping me to manage the anxiety that had been brought on by my long Covid symptoms. Through the use of various relaxation techniques, my hypnotherapist was able to instil a feeling of great calmness and ‘centring' which reduced my anxiety levels.  

I think the most debilitating symptom I experienced following long Covid was the fatigue. I had never known tiredness like it! My hypnotherapist was able to help me to develop some coping mechanisms to manage my fatigue. These included pacing myself throughout my day and being sure to take regular breaks. Using these strategies enabled me to conserve my energy levels, therefore, reducing the impact of the fatigue on my day-to-day life.  

I was also affected by a brain fog following long Covid. I had difficulty concentrating and remembering even the simplest of things, which made completing everyday tasks and working such a challenge. My hypnotherapist used guided imagery which helped me to visualise myself overcoming the brain fog and begin to find some mental clarity. This really helped me to focus and regain some of my cognitive abilities. 

I was unlucky enough to have ongoing shortness of breath, following the Covid infection. Through hypnotherapy, my hypnotherapist taught me how to develop some visualisation techniques, which improved my breathing no end. She told me to focus on my breath and imagine it flowing freely. Amazingly, this did reduce my shortness of breath and helped me to breathe more easily. 

To sum up, hypnotherapy was definitely a game changer for me in learning to manage my long Covid symptoms. It gave me the tools and techniques that I needed to cope with both the physical and emotional effects of recovering from the virus. While hypnotherapy isn't guaranteed to work for everyone, I would definitely encourage anyone who is struggling with long Covid symptoms to think about it as a potential treatment option. 

If you would like help in managing your long Covid symptoms, please contact OLIP Therapy to discuss how we can help you.