Until the dawn: everyday experiences of people living with COVID-19 during the pandemic in Thailand

<ns5:p>Background This study explores the lived experiences of individuals recovering from COVID-19, aiming to deepen understanding of their meaning-making processes and inform supportive responses in future health crises. Methods Fifteen participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted online. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) guided the analytic process, enabling in-depth exploration of how participants made sense of their experiences. Reporting adhered to the COREQ qualitative research guidelines. Results Five superordinate themes emerged: stress, economic and social disruption, social stigma, social support, and the reappraisal of adversity (“finding meaning in misfortune”). Participants’ accounts reflected complex and evolving processes of adaptation, shaped by both contextual challenges and relational resources, highlighting how individuals actively interpred and reconstructed their experiences of revovery. Conclusion The findings undersocre the importance of multidisciplinary care approaches that address psychosocial and economic dimensions of recovery. While the results provide in-depth insights into participants’ lived experiences, implication for policy and practice should be considered within the contextual scope of the study. This findings may inform the development of targeted psychosocial support and integrated response frameworks for future public health emergencies.</ns5:p>