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Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

nytimes.com

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Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems highly unlikely that millions of people get a depression right after an infection with covid.

The problem is that it also seems highly unlikely that a respiratory disease that primarily attacks lungs, results in long-term depression. Whataever physiological connection exists there, is far from obvious. And I haven’t found concrete studies to explain it.

Covid is not just a respiratory disease. It can affect "the heart, kidneys, skin and brain. Inflammation and problems with the immune system can also happen," according to Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/i...

They're mainly talking about severe cases, but it doesn't seem that unlikely that it could also have more mild effects to those organs.

Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#93

Personal anecdote: I'm going through some mental issues as a result of my divorce and I have trouble staying motivated at work. It's incredibly tempting to claim that I'm suffering from long COVID as an excuse instead of a mental health issue. I wonder how many people are just using it as a convenient excuse?

Given the push for mental health & disability visibility as part of DE&I initiatives, is there a reason that you think long covid would garner you more sympathy than saying you're suffering depression as the result of a traumatic experience?

Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#94
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like if our society had UBI (Universal Basic Income) we wouldn't have to worry so much over cases like this - people would be able to get by, it wouldn't be a crisis for so many individuals.

Our Covid response really hurt the case for UBI. It turns out, when people are paid to stay at home and not work, even for a short period of time, we get high inflation and product shortages.

So... We had record low interest rates for years, the PPP, rolling shutdowns in China...

And people are blaming the stimulus checks? Shows you the power of business interests in the media.

Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#95
post #30
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like if our society had UBI (Universal Basic Income) we wouldn't have to worry so much over cases like this - people would be able to get by, it wouldn't be a crisis for so many individuals.

What's the control for this, though? We're talking about a conjecture that there is a non-specific, undetectable condition affecting millions of people to the point that they are unable to work. Who pays for UBI if anyone can claim it?

I am constantly coughing up several fluid ounces of clear phlegm daily. I have to clear my throat with disgusting noises for at least a couple hours per day, ideally for at least 5 minutes once per hour, just to feel like I'm not drowning. I could take a picture of the puddles of phlegm daily to prove it. I've already seen a few doctors and none of them can tell exactly what it is, nor have any suggested treatments helped. Personally, I have found that using a toothbrush to brush the back of my tongue to induce a gag reflex to induce a major, choking, heaving coughing fit where it feels like my lungs are turning inside out, reduces the sensation of drowning but does not slow down fluid production. Obviously, having do to this would be very awkward in an office environment, and overall it's just extremely depressing that I'm crippled like this when I'm otherwise a very healthy 30 year old. Been living with this for 2 years and keeping my job but I'm sure everyone talks about how annoying my constant coughing is, nevermind the unlucky people who hear me clearing my throat or catch me spitting up puddles in the office parking lot.

Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#96
post #44
post #18

A lot of the symptoms of “Long COVID” are exactly the same as depression and anxiety symptoms. Brain fog, fatigue, muscle weakness: anyone who has ever had depression knows what this is like. Of course there are a small number of people who had severe illness from COVID and had to be hospitalized, and the road to recovery for them is quite long, but most people claiming that they suffer from Long COVID are not the on…

I generally think that mental illness is on par with physical illness, to the degree that you can differentiate them. If it’s worth our time to worry about one, it’s worth our time to worry about the other.

[deleted]

Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems highly unlikely that millions of people get a depression right after an infection with covid.

The problem is that it also seems highly unlikely that a respiratory disease that primarily attacks lungs, results in long-term depression. Whataever physiological connection exists there, is far from obvious. And I haven’t found concrete studies to explain it.

It doesn't primarily attack lungs. It's novel, so it hasn't evolved a particular favourite target. It attacks everything. If you really want to hang a sign on it, a large number of symptoms are repercussions of vascular damage (in the lungs, brain, kidneys, etc). Many are arguing that Covid is far more a vascular problem than a lung ailment.

Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#98
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I too have had depression and I have also had depressed friends. All of us have had those symptoms.

Including actual weakness of muscles?

I'm not sure how that's unreasonable. Depressed people tend to lounge or lay around in bed all day, tired, sad, feeling helpless. I can days or weeks causing muscle atrophy (maybe not a ton) but enough that when actually move you feel sore. Perhaps they've stopped going to the gym. Some people tend to under eat while depressed which can lead to no energy and your muscles not getting adequate nutrients which could cause cramps and pain.

So it's seems absolutely possible to experience "actual weakness of muscles"

Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#99
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is just so, so wrong in many ways. Read about post-viral diseases such as Me/CFS that closely mirrors what Long Covid sufferers are going through. Watch "Unrest" on Netflix. Stop telling people who have serious physical symptoms that it's all mental. Just stop.

"Stop telling people who have serious physical symptoms that it's all mental" As someone who has serious physical symptoms stemming from mental disorder, I think you're being a dick. The experience is the same even if the root cause is mental. And your attitude belittles it.

Nowhere did I say mental disorders are better or less harmful than physical disorders, and nowhere did I say that the experience is not the same from a patient's point of view. However, there's a great difference in how the medical profession treats people with physical and mental disorders, and these patients are being told repeatedly by the entire world that they are feeling what they are feeling because of anxiety, depression, etc, which is flat out wrong. As a person who has also battled with mental problems, I'll be the first to point out that that's a big, big problem.

Re: Long Covid is keeping significant numbers of people out of work, study finds

#100
post #30
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like if our society had UBI (Universal Basic Income) we wouldn't have to worry so much over cases like this - people would be able to get by, it wouldn't be a crisis for so many individuals.

What's the control for this, though? We're talking about a conjecture that there is a non-specific, undetectable condition affecting millions of people to the point that they are unable to work. Who pays for UBI if anyone can claim it?

Everyone receives UBI. Those earning additional income beyond a threshold will pay taxes such that their "net UBI" for the tax year or other tax period will be 0 or less.

But the standard UBI payments come in no matter what.

Can you better phrase how you're looking at this like an experiment with control and test components?

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