Clearing the Fog

From Surviving to Thriving with Long Covid: A Practical Guide

By: James C. Jackson PsyD

Narrated by: James C. Jackson PsyD

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

“An essential guide” (Mark Hyman, author of Young Forever) to navigating life with the cognitive and mental health impairments that often accompany Long COVID.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the shocking mortality figures obscured the fact that death is not the only adverse outcome of the virus. Today, as many as 30 percent of COVID-19 survivors still experience symptoms long after their acute illness has passed, with cognitive and mental health problems especially prominent. For long haulers, this struggle with Long COVID has irrevocably changed their lives. Many have lost their ability to work, attend school, and look after their children. They often feel misunderstood and dismissed by others. Their once-full lives are now filled only with doctors' appointments that seem more and more futile.

In Clearing the Fog, neuropsychologist Dr. James C. Jackson offers people suffering from Long COVID and their families a roadmap to help them manage their “new normal.” Focusing on cognitive impairment and mental health issues, he shows listeners:

• The ways in which they can manifest and disrupt
• Suggestions for how and when to seek professional evaluations
• Science-based treatment options and strategies,
• Information on navigating health care systems and disability insurance
• Validation and hope as patients wrestle with their new diagnosis

In addition, Dr. Jackson shares his own experience with chronic illness, relating to long haulers with vulnerability and compassion.

Through moving stories as well as hands-on guidance, Clearing the Fog will help long haulers understand their current situation while offering multiple ways to address it, make sense of it, and move through it with the goal of thriving instead of merely surviving.

©2022 James C. Jackson (P)2022 Little, Brown Spark

Critic reviews

"Dr. Jackson expertly and compassionately explores the realities of Long COVID—from anxiety to brain fog—and reveals the actions we can take to support and empower ourselves and our loved ones. An essential guide for everyone touched by Long COVID.”—Mark Hyman, MD, author of Young Forever

“Clearing the Fog is a thoughtful and practical resource for people with long COVID. Dr. Jackson draws on his own personal experiences with managing his mental health as well as the experiences of his patients to provide a guide on how to manage the challenges of long COVID.”—Sanjay Gupta, author of Keep Sharp

“A timely and essential book. Jackson is a world-renowned expert on the effects of illness on cognitive functioning, and he seamlessly weaves together patient narratives, his own personal struggles, and cutting-edge research to create a uniquely empowering and insightful book. Clearing the Fog is not only for those suffering from Long COVID; it should be read by family members, by healthcare workers, by anyone who has been touched by this pandemic—which is, ultimately, all of us.”—Daniela Lamas, author of You Can Stop Humming Now

Extremely helpful on so many levels

My Long Covid began June 2022. My PTSD counselor diagnosed it and she was spot on. This book confirmed so many of my symptoms as Long Covid, that I’m not just making things up, and that I’m not crazy. Great book!

Life Changing. Widely-Applicable, Brilliantly Practical. A Must Read

This book changed my life. It will also change, and potentially even save, many others.

Diagnosed with Lyme Disease a decade ago, I never fully recovered. I share many of the symptoms “long-haulers” report... fatigue and brain fog chief among them. Before I got sick, I was a healthy, energetic 23-year-old attorney. After, I was essentially bed-bound, unable to tolerate light or sound due to extreme sensory hypersensitivity, and so cognitively impaired that basic communication was a major challenge. It has been a long journey, and I can't help but wonder what my life would have looked like today if a resource like this had existed back then.

If you’re familiar the health care/self-help genre, you’ll find this one to be an outlier. It is unique in many ways, including perspective, utility, and content. I’ve read more than my fair share of books in this genre, and I have NEVER written a review for a single one. In fact, I've never written a review for any book or product, ever. But I feel compelled to share my thoughts on this… if I help to convince even one person to take a chance on this book, my time writing this will have been well spent.

Complex problems often require complex solutions. Part of the magic of this book is how many different areas the author has pulled from to develop his approach. It is impressively interdisciplinary and poignantly personal. The practical tips and patient anecdotes make for a compelling, easy read.

If you are someone with chronic illness or someone who cares for a sick person, this book will make you feel very validated and empowered. For this patient population, validation is hard to come by. This author just “gets it,” and that alone was a valuable, rare gift. You’ll know exactly what I mean when you start reading. I found the sections discussing acceptance and commitment therapy and goal management training to be particularly innovative and helpful. The chapters concerning mental health and the power of social engagement including “weak ties” really resonated. I’m about to re-read, and I’m sure I’ll find even more this time around.

This should be required reading for all professionals who interface with chronic illness patients, including: doctors, mental health practitioners, social workers, HR professionals, any students of the aforementioned fields, and anyone whose life has been impacted by chronic illness, be as patient or caregiver.

I wish I could convey what this book has given me, but words really fall short. Useful is an understatement. Groundbreaking is an understatement.

Bottom line: read this then pass it on to someone else.