Long COVID May Be Burning Out The Brain's Reward System

3 days ago by ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ to c/science

Scientists have discovered a distinct change in the brains of people with long COVID that might explain some of the illness's most debilitating symptoms.

Klear 12 points 3 days ago

Fuck. That sounds about right. I've been really struggling after catching the damn thing three times. Nasty flu for a few days, followed by half a year of depression every damn time. And even after that I constantly had a terrible brain-fog, lack of motivation, like I was just half there, days passing in an instant without notice.

A few months back that suddenly popped and I was free for the first time in a loooong while, even felt genuinely good occasionally. Hell, I was already convinced that I'll never get better, but I did.

But just a few weeks ago I remembered the feeling of elation, like when you're watching an awesome movie or at a concert and your whole being is filled with delight that makes life worth living and I realised I haven't felt that way in years. That I no longer seem to really live through these moments. I can understand that I'm having fun on an intellectual level. I am having fun. But I don't feel it nearly as much as I used to.

I began to wonder if something inside of me is just fundamentally broken, and reading this, that could very well be it.

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typo 3 points 3 days ago

Same for me. I got COVID many times, mostly from work, but I think it broke something in me. I've always had some depression but this is neverending. I play things or watch things, but when my partner asks if I'm enjoying it usually the answer is something like, "I don't dislike it, and I'm not hating it, and I guess I'm having fun" but enjoy isn't something I've used to describe current activities, just past ones

I've wondered about "long covid" for a while, and also wondering about your last sentiment as well

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TropicalDingdong 9 points 3 days ago

Just wait till they find out about gooning.

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expatriado 6 points 3 days ago

mid 2020 to late 2021 there was a grumpy aura everywhere, but always attributed to inconvenient rules

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TiredTiger 2 points 3 days ago

The correlation is certainly worth researching further, but I don't think this is sufficient to prove causality.

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bjoern_tantau 1 point 3 days ago

I mean sure, pile that on. But lack of motivation is not what absolutely crushes me whenever I try to move my muscles or brain too much. If it were just motivation the daily walks my idiot doctor prescribed wouldn't have made me unable to walk.

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