Study:
Psychological Distress in Patients with Long-lasting COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction
Manon Louvrier, BS1 , Sven Saussez, MD, PhD1,3 , and Jerome R. Lechien, MD, PhD, MS, FACS1, 2, Journal of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Volume 54, May 2025
Our sense of smell plays an important role in everyday life. It helps us enjoy food, detect dangers like smoke or spoiled food, and even influences how we connect with others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their sense of smell, and for some, the problem has continued for months or even years after recovering from the virus.
This study focused on people who experienced long-term smell issues after having COVID-19. These issues included complete loss of smell (anosmia), reduced smell (hyposmia), or changes in how things smell (parosmia and phantosmia). Researchers wanted to know if these ongoing problems affected people’s mental health, especially in terms of anxiety and depression.
The study was conducted in Belgium between August 2023 and January 2024. Over 200 people who still had smell problems six months after their COVID-19 infection were compared to a control group of over 100 people who didn’t have any smell issues. Researchers looked at various factors, including age, gender, past health problems, vaccination status, and mental health scores. Everyone in the study, those with smell problems and without, filled out questionnaires about their sense of smell, daily life impact, anxiety levels, and symptoms of depression.
The results showed that people with long-lasting smell issues had higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to those without such problems. In particular, individuals with a complete loss of smell were more likely to experience severe anxiety. Women and those who were unvaccinated were more likely to report higher levels of depression and more intense smell-related symptoms. Interestingly, the longer someone had experienced smell problems, the lower their depression and anxiety scores tended to be, suggesting people might slowly adjust over time.
Vaccination appeared to make a difference too. Those who had been vaccinated before losing their sense of smell generally had fewer mental health symptoms than those who were unvaccinated. However, it’s still not entirely clear whether vaccination helps prevent smell loss or just reduces its severity.
The researchers also found strong connections between the severity of smell dysfunction, nasal symptoms (like congestion or irritation), and mental health problems. However, they couldn’t say for sure whether the smell problems caused the mental health issues or if people with existing mental health concerns were more likely to notice or report smell loss.
The study has a few limitations. It didn’t test the control group’s sense of smell in the same detailed way, and it only captured a snapshot in time. A better approach might be to follow people over time to see how their mental health and smell function change.
In conclusion, the study highlights that losing your sense of smell after COVID-19 isn’t just a minor inconvenience: it can significantly affect mental well-being. Doctors should pay attention to emotional symptoms in patients dealing with long-term smell problems, especially as part of long COVID care.
Key takeaway:
Smell loss after COVID-19 can have a serious impact on mental health, with higher rates of anxiety and depression in those affected. Women and unvaccinated individuals reported more intense symptoms, though some people do adjust over time. Ongoing support for emotional well-being should be part of long COVID care.
