The chapter addresses the mental health of people with long COVID as a multidimensional phenomenon that cannot be understood solely in terms of the presence or absence of mental health problems. It draws on the complete state model of mental health, according to which symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety should be considered alongside positive aspects of functioning, particularly emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Long COVID is presented as a biopsychosocial condition in which physical symptoms, cognitive difficulties, sleep disturbances, functional impairment, uncertainty about recovery, and lack of social understanding are intertwined and may substantially reduce the quality of everyday life. The empirical part of the chapter, based on a Slovenian population-based study of working-age adults, shows that people with long COVID report markedly poorer mental health compared with people without SARS-CoV-2 infection and those who recovered from COVID-19 without long-term consequences: they report higher levels of perceived stress, depression, and generalized anxiety, as well as lower levels of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The chapter emphasizes that these psychological difficulties should not be interpreted as evidence that the condition is “psychological ” in origin, but rather as part of the broader burden associated with persistent physical symptoms, reduced functioning, uncertainty, social isolation, and often insufficient understanding from others. A key implication for professional practice is the need for comprehensive assessment that includes both indicators of distress and indicators of well-being, as well as support aimed not only at reducing symptoms but also at restoring a sense of meaning, personal efficacy, social inclusion, and quality of everyday life. Mental health is therefore understood in the chapter as one of the central dimensions of the long-term consequences of COVID-19, rather than merely a peripheral aspect of physical recovery.
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