We are well past the initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. But for many people, the toll is far from over. As we mark October 10th 2025 as World Mental Health Day under the theme “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies,” it is worth pausing to ask: what does that mean when the emergency has stretched on for years? How do we care for those whose bodies, minds, and spirits still bear COVID’s mark?
The aftershock no one predicted
When the world locked down in early 2020, few of us anticipated that one day we would be asking how to live with the long tail of a disease. Yet here we are. Some people continue to struggle with post-COVID conditions sometimes called “long COVID” that affect breathing, digestion, energy levels, cognitive function, and more. For those individuals, the physical symptoms are just one layer. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, grief, and post-traumatic stress responses can linger.
According to the World Federation for Mental Health, in catastrophes and emergencies nearly all affected people experience psychological distress, and a significant number go on to develop diagnosable mental health conditions (World Mental Health Day). In some respects COVID fits that description: it disrupted livelihoods, separated families, strained health systems, and exposed or deepened inequality in access to health care. In that sense it is both a public health emergency and a long disaster.
What’s needed now
we need action on multiple levels:
- Integrate mental health in chronic illness care
Clinics treating long COVID should incorporate psychological screening and psychosocial support, not as an afterthought but as a core component. - Expand service access and flexibility
Telehealth must remain an option, but we must also reach those who lack digital access. Mobile clinics, home visits, hybrid models, and community partnerships help. - Train frontline workers in psychological first aid and ongoing distress care
Many health workers are trained for acute crisis but not for prolonged, low-level, unpredictable stress responses. - Strengthen referral systems
You want a trusted pathway: from your primary care provider to mental health care, to support groups, to rehabilitation and back. Disconnected silos must be bridged. - Advocate for funding and policy support
The WFMH calls for political and social leadership to prioritize mental health access in emergencies. (World Mental Health Day) For long COVID and post-pandemic health challenges, we need sustained investment, not one-time relief. - Support mental health of caregivers and providers
Caregivers and clinicians too bear emotional weight. Burnout, vicarious trauma, moral distress loom large. Ensuring their well-being is essential.
A final word
We often speak of recovery as though it is a fixed destination. But for many living with long COVID and its ripple effects, recovery is a journey of adaptation, of rebuilding, of tending to well-being even while uncertainty remains. It is living with ambiguity. It is sustaining hope in small measures.
On this World Mental Health Day and beyond, we must remember that emergencies do not always end. Sometimes they morph into a long-term issue. And when they do, the work is not over. It is time to fill the gaps, to listen deeply, and to act with compassion.
If you or someone you know is struggling with post-COVID health challenges and emotional distress take heart. You are not alone. Share your story. Hold on to the possibility of meaning, connection, and healing even when the path is uneven, and reach out for help. At Mind Wave Wellness, we exist to provide the support and solutions that you need to experience of life of health and wellbeing.
Reference:
https://wmhdofficial.com/wp-content/uploads/wmhd-2025-document_v01.pdf
