Conservative politicians frequently downplay the seriousness of public health crises, such as that produced by long COVID, by choosing to psychologise illness. This mindset, such as when attributing Gulf War syndrome to mass hysteria instead of its true cause of nerve gas exposure, is a convenient way to debunk benefit claims and avoid expensive medical care. The psychogenic explanation for conditions such as long COVID and Gulf War syndrome allows for fiscal austerity, reduces government liability, and reinforces a right-wing narrative that discredits the ill and disabled. This trend of illness denialism aligns with a broader conservative worldview that dismisses any tangible dangers that require collaborative societal responses or that be alleviated using social safety nets.