Sara Jones* was settling into her morning routine of coffee and catching up on the news when a particular article made her freeze. The headline blared 'What causes long COVID? Case builds for rogue antibodies.' As she read about how autoantibodies isolated from long COVID patients caused symptoms in mice, Sara felt the blood drain from her face.

The article triggered memories from years ago when Sara had been battling her own autoimmune disorder. The debilitating fatigue, brain fog and chronic pain described in long COVID patients were all too familiar to her. She had spent years trying to get doctors to understand what she was going through, as her own body seemed to be attacking itself. The controversial notion of 'rogue antibodies' causing unexplained symptoms had been a source of immense distress and isolation for Sara back then.

However, this new research validated what she had experienced in a way the medical community had largely dismissed before. Sara realized she still carried trauma and unresolved pain from that period of her life. On a whim, she searched for resources and came across the Stepping Into Action program. The online materials resonated deeply, providing a structured way to compassionately confront her past experiences and begin healing.

'I had been walking around with all this hurt and anger inside for so long. But going through the modules, I realized how much I had been holding onto,' Sara shared in a quiet moment. 'It was like having a guide to gently open those old wounds and finally let them air out.'

Experts have differing views on the role autoantibodies play in both long COVID and autoimmune conditions more broadly. Some believe they are a core driving factor, while others see them as a consequence rather than a cause. However, this latest research from Amsterdam provides compellng new evidence for their direct impact, at least in long COVID.

For Sara though, the debate around mechanisms almost didn't matter as much anymore. 'I'd spent too many years angry at being disbelieved and misunderstood,' she reflected. 'But I've realized that validating my own experiences, and dealing with the aftermath, is what's most important now. It hasn't been easy, but I'm grateful to have found a way to begin that journey.'

While a challenging path still lies ahead, Sara feels deeply that making the choice to get help through an online program was the right first step. When local resources for the kind of personal inner work she needed were limited, being able to access expert-guided materials digitally proved to be vital.

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