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The fact that the pandemic is related to psychosis was already observed by scientists in 1918, during the Spanish pandemic. Nothing has changed since then. A range of severe psychotic symptoms have been described in people who have had COVID-19, from delusions to hallucinations. And although the exact scale of the problem is not known yet, the research is being conducted in parallel all over the world.
- November study: one in five people with COVID-19 admits psychiatric treatment after three months
- Most of the diagnoses indicate anxiety, depression and insomnia. In over 1,2 thousand patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders
- There is ample evidence that COVID-19 causes brain complications and neurological symptoms – from strokes and seizures to memory loss to lack of concentration, which is something. Physical changes in the brain caused by the coronavirus have also been identified
- More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.
COVID-19 can cause psychological symptoms
In November, a study was published that indicates that one in five people diagnosed with the coronavirus infection will seek psychiatric treatment after three months. In addition, one in four convalescents with psychological problems have not had any such ailments before. Most of the diagnoses indicate anxiety, depression or insomnia. And with over 1,2 thousand patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders.
Another study of 153 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the UK found 10 of them developed psychosis.
- A year with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. There are still many unknowns
For some, psychotic symptoms persist for a long time. The British reported the case of a 55-year-old woman who experienced “developed long-term psychotic symptoms” after COVID-19. Previously, she had not suffered from any psychological ailments, but a few days after her recovery, she was re-admitted to the hospital, this time to the psychiatric ward.. The woman started acting weird. She was not only confused, but argued that her cat was a lion. She saw “monkeys jumping out of a paramedic’s bag” and the hospital nurses regarded them as “devils plotting intrigues” to hurt her. She also claimed that one of her family members had been replaced with a double. The latter disorder is quite rare. We know it as Capgras syndrome, it occurs in schizophrenia, dementia and as a complication of head injuries.
The patient was delusional for 34 days, and the disease finally resolved 52 days after the first symptoms appeared.
What causes psychotic symptoms?
To some extent, this may reflect the mental health problems caused by the pandemic, social isolation, fear of illness and financial problems. It is known that many somatic diseases cause mental health problems.
There is ample evidence that COVID-19 causes brain complications and neurological symptoms – from strokes and seizures to memory loss to lack of concentration, something we call ‘brain fog’. Physical changes to the brain caused by the coronavirus have also been identified. However, we do not know whether the virus directly attacks the brain tissue or causes indirect damage related to inflammation caused by the infection.
- COVID-19 patients can suffer from “brain fog”. It lasts for months
Interestingly, Dr. Karl Menninger of the Boston Psychiatric Hospital noted that a surprising number of “mental disorders” had been documented among survivors of the Spanish pandemic in 1918. Later, similar symptoms were reported with SARS and MERS, and now with COVID-19.
See also:
- How is the coronavirus epidemic going? Forecast for 2021
- Mutant strains of the coronavirus are taking over the world. Next to the British variant, there is Italian, Nigerian and South Africani
- Dr. Li Wenliang – Wuhan physician who warned the world about the coronavirus
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