BATON ROUGE – According to Louisiana's Department of Health, about 149,640 residents have recovered from novel coronavirus since the outbreak began this year.

While reports of physical recovery are encouraging, for many survivors, this physical recovery is only the initial step in a journey to fully restored health.

After successfully battling the virus so as to move out of quarantine and return to work, a number of patients report that their battle continues emotionally.

This is often the case for the sickest of the sick who required time in the ICU and intubation. These patients may face "post-intensive care syndrome" (PICS) that could manifest as a combination of physical, cognitive, and mental health impairments following an ICU stay for a critical illness.

This is why Baton Rouge General (BRG) has started a 'Coping After COVID' support group for survivors who are struggling to get back to normal life, as lingering symptoms and months of illness can contribute to anxiety and depression.