Purpose This descriptive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of patients recovering from Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). Methods Using a purposive sampling method, participants were recruited from the Korean Psychological Association’s Mental Health and Wellness Center in G city, South Korea, from May 5 to December 30, 2020. The interviews were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Data saturation was reached after interviewing 14 participants. Results The experiences of patients recovering from COVID-19 were clustered into 4 main themes and 10 subthemes:, namely, the patients’ 1) stigmatization, leading to anxiety, fatigue, and concern about neighbors; 2) negative emotions: anger and helplessness; 3) coping strategies under pressure: increased gratitude, self-reflection, and self-efficacy; and 4) ways of overcoming internalized stigma: personal growth and hope for the future. Discussion The results suggest that the positive and negative emotions of patients recovering from COVID-19 are interwoven and coexist against the background of the pandemic. Improvement of social networks, development of coping skills, and psychological growth play an important role in alleviating the psychological burden of recovering patients.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Post-Traumatic Psychological Experience of COVID-19 Survivors: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study Yusra Al Nasiri, Amal Al Balushi, Saira Al Balushi, Kamila Al Alawi, Zainab Al Mashari, Buthaina Al Muqimi, Faiza Al Balushi, Salah Al Awaidy COVID.2024; 4(8): 1188. CrossRef
Meaning and lived experience of Iranian COVID‐19 survivors: A phenomenological study Sedigheh Hasani‐Moghadam, Abou Ali Vedadhir, Fatemeh Alijani, Marzieh Azizi, Soghra Khani Brain and Behavior.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Post-traumatic growth among emergency nurses after COVID-19 in Shanghai, China: a qualitative study Jinxia Jiang, Yue Liu, Peng Han, Pengjia Zhang, Haiyan Shao, Zhenjuan Dai, Yugang Zhuang BMJ Open.2024; 14(2): e081212. CrossRef