Introduction: The world has not yet fully recovered from the COVID 19 pandemic. Many
people feel increased or a high level of anxiety, which will gradually disappear in the
majority, while in a small part of the population the symptoms will be longer lasting. Long
COVID is a disabling and debilitating condition in which, after infection with SARS CoV
2, many signs and symptoms persist for a long time after the patient is infected and has a
great impact on the psychophysical and social life of the patient. According to a rough
estimate, infection with SARS CoV 2 can cause symptoms that continue or develop anew
after an acute illness in 10% of patients). Purpose: With this thesis, we wanted to investigate
the effect of the post covid syndrome (long COVID) on people's mental health. Methods:
In the thesis, we carried out a systematic analysis and synthesis of scientific and professional
literature, as well as a qualitative processing of available research conducted on people with
probable long COVID who were previously hospitalized or who had overcome a milder
form of the disease. Literature was obtained from the COBISS, PubMed, RUL, DKUM and
Google Scholar databases. The search inclusion criteria were: literature publication period
from January 2020 to December 2023, freely available peer reviewed professional and
scientific articles with full text and text language in English or Slovenian. We applied a
strategy using search keywords, their synonyms and Boolean operators. We processed the
data using a descriptive method.ethods. Results: The long term impact of COVID 19 on
mental health has been the subject of many extensive studies. Overall, research findings
highlight the significant mental health impact of long COVID, emphasizing the need for
early identification, comprehensive assessment, comprehensive care, and tailored
interventions to address the complex mental health challenges faced by individuals with
long COVID. Discussion and conclusion: The outbreak and spread of COVID 19 can be
considered a disaster of the 21st century, which has significantly contributed to increased
stress, anxiety and depression among individuals around the world. The findings of most
studies and research indicate an increased number of psychological and neuropsychological
problems in people infected with the SARS CoV 2 virus, even in those who have not
previously been diagnosed with mental disorders. The most common long term consequence
of long COVID is PTSD, followed by depression and anxiety disorders. Efforts are needed
to increase awareness and reduce stigma around mental health issues post COVID 19, and
work to improve access to mental health services for individuals with long COVID, also
global collaboration to address the mental health consequences of long COVID is essential.
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