Ms Imelda O'Donovan:

It does take a toll. Any chronic illness is going to have ramifications on a person's emotional well-being. There are all the feelings of guilt of having put your family through this and shame that you can no longer financially contribute to the household. It is not being there for your kids, not being able to be your former self, and not being able to partake in society such as social events and family events. The need for psychological support is very important but we must not psychologise it into thinking that long Covid is a psychological condition because it is not. We definitely do need that. It is the same for any chronic condition but in particular for this one in that there is no prognosis and there is no cure. One has to deal with that and the fact that it is episodic: it waxes and wanes. Just when you think you are better you are not. That side of it places an awful lot of insecurity on people and a huge pressure. There is the financial burden and also the whole emotional side of this. It is like a form of grief. You are grieving your former self and the loss of who you used to be. You have no idea whether you are ever going to get back to that person you were. You have to create a whole new normal. Pacing becomes part of life. Believe me, that is so difficult. We will probably be conked out for the next week because of today and given the pacing that goes in beforehand. That is our reality.