A Phenomenological Study on the Lived Experiences of Patients Recovered from COVID-19

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.