COVID-19 Linked to Poor Mental Health and Loneliness

Individuals infected during the first wave of COVID-19 suffer from mental health issues more long term than what was previously thought.

Highlights:

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes respiratory illness
While the effects of social isolation and lockdowns are known to impact mental health negatively, they have not yet been quantified //
People affected during the first wave of COVID-19 were almost two times more likely to have anxiety as compared to those who did not have COVID-19 at the same time

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with psychological distress, particularly during the initial lockdown in April 2020, and the relationship between COVID-19 and mental health has been demonstrated worldwide. The negative association between the pandemic and mental health is likely due to a variety of reasons, including the negative impact of lockdowns, physical distancing, restricted movement, quarantine, and high levels of isolation, insecure employment, and childcare issues ().

The researchers surveyed more than 3,000 UK adults, representing a cross-section of the general population. The study relied on participants self-reporting COVID-19, as limited testing was available at the beginning of the pandemic. However, the levels of reported infection are similar to two other key UK studies conducted at a similar time ().

Mental Health as a Risk Factor for Contracting COVID-19

They also found that having a mental health condition prior to the pandemic was associated with an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. Possible reasons for this may include lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical health vulnerabilities linked to poor mental health, and lower levels of adherence to government COVID-19 restrictions.

Mental Health During COVID-19
Americans experienced more depression and loneliness during the early COVID-19 pandemic, said new study. But people who were able to keep frequent in-person social and sexual connections had better mental health outcomes.

‘Not only did people suffer from COVID-19 during the first wave, but it also negatively impacted their mental health in the long term.’

Those who reported having COVID in early 2020 were also 1.67 times more likely to display clinically meaningful levels of anxiety after 13 months, than those who avoided COVID-19 in the same time period.

Previous UK studies have reported a rise in anxiety and depression symptoms after patients likely contracted COVID-19, but only around six months later. This study suggests that the virus may have a longer-lasting mental health impact than previously thought.

The researchers are calling for medical professionals to take their findings into account when treating patients who have had COVID-19. The findings highlight the importance for general physicians and other healthcare professionals to be vigilant to these longer-lasting symptoms and to put in place treatments and support for mental health, as well as physical health, for patients who may have contracted COVID-19 infection.

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The researchers highlighted that long COVID may also be a factor in the findings, as its long-term symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbance, headaches, brain fog, loss of taste and smell, and breathlessness could contribute to anxiety, depression, and poor wellbeing.

They concluded that the present study demonstrated that experiencing COVID-19 during the early stages of the pandemic was associated with poorer mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and poor wellbeing) and loneliness up to 13-months after initial questioning. They also mentioned that further investigation was needed to identify the causes of the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on mental health.

Rise in Mental Illnesses Among Youth During COVID-19
Global prevalence of mental illnesses like depression and anxiety in children and adolescents are found to be elevated since the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References:

Longitudinal changes in psychological distress in the UK from 2019 to September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a large nationally representative study - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178121002171)
Probable COVID-19 infection is associated with subsequent poorer mental health and greater loneliness in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing study - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9718764/)

Source-Medindia

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