Overcoming Fear in CFS and Long COVID Recovery
Introduction
Fear is a powerful emotion. It can keep you safe, but it can also keep you stuck. If you’re recovering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or long COVID, fear may be holding you back more than you realize.
Many people struggle with fear during recovery—fear of symptoms, fear of pushing too hard, fear of setbacks, or even fear of feeling better. But here’s the truth: Fear doesn’t have to control your recovery.
In this blog, we’ll explore how fear affects recovery, how to work through it, and how to take small, courageous steps toward progress.
Fear Can Keep You Stuck
When you live with CFS or long COVID, symptoms can be unpredictable. Because of this, fear often takes over:
🔹 Fear of making symptoms worse
🔹 Fear of another crash or flare-up
🔹 Fear of losing control over your body
🔹 Fear that you’ll never recover
These fears feel very real, but they often lead to hesitation and avoidance. You may find yourself avoiding activities, staying inside, or limiting movement—not because you physically can’t do something, but because fear is telling you not to.
Over time, this keeps your world small, and small worlds feel even scarier to step out of.
What Fear Really Is
Fear isn’t always a bad thing. In some cases, fear keeps us safe. It’s what makes us cautious around real dangers. But when the nervous system is dysregulated, fear can become overactive and trigger false alarms.
Think of it like this:
🧠 Fear is like a smoke alarm—it’s meant to protect you from danger. But in recovery, it’s going off all the time, even when there’s no real threat.
That’s why it’s important to differentiate between real danger and unnecessary fear.
✅ Helpful Fear: Stops you from touching a hot stove or walking into traffic.
❌ Unhelpful Fear: Stops you from taking small, safe steps in your recovery.
If fear is keeping you from making any progress, it may be time to challenge it.
How to Work Through Fear in Recovery
1. Understand What Courage Really Is
Many people think courage means having no fear. That’s not true.
👉 Courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s feeling fear and taking action anyway.
You don’t have to be fearless. You just have to be willing to take the next step, even if it feels uncomfortable.
2. Identify Your Next Logical Step
If you feel stuck, ask yourself: What’s one small step I can take?
It doesn’t have to be big. In fact, the smaller, the better.
Examples:
- If you’ve been housebound, step outside for a few breaths of fresh air.
- If you’ve been avoiding movement, try standing for an extra minute.
- If socializing feels overwhelming, text a friend instead of meeting in person.
The key is to push yourself just a little beyond your comfort zone, without overwhelming your nervous system.
3. Acknowledge Fear, Then Move Forward Anyway
Instead of fighting fear, acknowledge it.
Say to yourself:
✔️ “I feel afraid, and that’s okay.”
✔️ “My brain is sending me a false alarm.”
✔️ “I can take one small step, even if I feel nervous.”
Then, take the step. You don’t have to wait until you feel completely ready—because chances are, you never will.
4. Avoid the Two Extremes
⚠️ Extreme #1: Avoiding everything.
This keeps you stuck in fear and prevents recovery.
⚠️ Extreme #2: Pushing too hard too soon.
This can lead to crashes and reinforce fear.
Instead, aim for gradual, sustainable progress.
5. Challenge Catastrophic Thinking
When fear takes over, it’s easy to assume the worst.
For example:
🚫 “If I go for a walk, I’ll crash for weeks.”
🚫 “If I try something new, I’ll never recover.”
Instead, flip the script:
✅ “If I go for a walk, I might feel symptoms, but I can rest and try again.”
✅ “If I take small steps, I will build strength over time.”
Our thoughts shape our reality. Choose thoughts that empower you, not ones that keep you stuck.
Final Thoughts: Fear Won’t Disappear, But You Can Move Through It
Fear is part of recovery, but it doesn’t have to control your recovery. The key is to acknowledge it, challenge it, and take small, courageous steps forward.
💡 Remember: You don’t have to be fearless. You just have to be brave enough to try.
If you need extra support, check out our Recovery Jumpstart Program, where we guide you step by step through overcoming fear and regaining your life.