Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg What is psychosomatic illness? (with Suzanne O'Sullivan)
7 snips
Nov 12, 2025 
Suzanne O'Sullivan, an Irish physician and neurologist, delves into the complexities of long COVID and psychosomatic illnesses. She discusses four explanations for long COVID, emphasizing the real physical nature of psychosomatic symptoms. The conversation highlights how societal factors inflamed these conditions during the pandemic and addresses misconceptions perpetuated through social media. O'Sullivan suggests effective recovery techniques, including distraction and reframing symptoms, while unpacking the challenges of diagnosing chronic pain and unexplained illnesses.
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Long COVID Is Heterogeneous
- Long COVID likely includes multiple distinct conditions, including psychosomatic causes that are real and disabling.
- Psychosomatic symptoms arise from attention, fear, and beliefs altering brain-body connections rather than deliberate fabrication.
Pandemic Context Amplified Symptom Focus
- Pandemic context amplified bodily vigilance: public messaging and anxiety made people search for symptoms constantly.
- Social media rapidly spread expectations of chronic disability, reinforcing symptom interpretations and nocebo effects.
Suzanne's Personal Pandemic Symptoms
- Suzanne noticed multiple bodily changes during the pandemic that she initially interpreted as COVID but tested negative repeatedly.
- Her experience illustrates how anxiety, lifestyle shifts, and vigilance can produce real symptoms without infection.
