The coronavirus has been a trending topic globally for more than a year now, and the debate on psychological health has also been a widely discussed and studied topic. In light of the Mental Health Awareness month, May, we hoped to shed a light on the psychological effect and some post Covid-19 symptoms that many people experience during or after recovery.
Physical post Covid symptoms that may appear after the 14 day isolation period such as feeling of low energy, general exhaustion, diarrhea, shortness of breath, rough coughs, are now known and expected after recovery, according to Dr. Gamal Youssef, internal medicine consultant and pulmonologist (medical specialist who focuses on organs involved with breathing, lungs and heart). Dr. Youssef also added that some cases may not experience any of these symptoms at all.
However, we should look into the possibility of the existence of psychological effects caused somehow by the coronavirus and understand its impact on us.
Till now there aren’t any existing studies that scientifically prove the physical relation between getting infected with the virus and it resulting with mental disorders. The pandemic has been around for almost a year and a half, which is too short of a period to conduct enough studies to determine the truth of this effect on people. However, isolation itself is a psychologically damaging aspect, according to Dr. Omnia Al-Azazy, PhD, psychiatry consultant.
On the other hand, it is equally likely that patients with COVID suffered silent strokes or lack of oxygen that damaged their brains, said Andrew E. Budson, MD, in a study for Harvard Health. And this could possibly affect their psychological state.
Early methods of sentences or penalties for criminals included isolation or banishment. This shows that isolating a person from the environment they are familiar with and the people they know and love negatively affects a person psychologically and gives them a high sense of loneliness which is so damaging that it was a form of punishment, said Dr. Azazy.
“During the 14 day isolation period I suffered from severe anxiety and felt like I was missing out on all that was going on outside of the four walls I was trapped in. But after recovery, it made me approach social interactions and gatherings more positively; as I used to make up excuses not to go out since it sometimes gets a little emotionally draining for me. I started appreciating the little things and the time I spend with my loved ones,” said Caren Joseph, 24, recently recovered from the coronavirus.
Another aspect to consider is the fact that getting infected by the virus itself takes a mental toll on people. We are surrounded by media that mostly focuses on how horrible and dangerous the virus is, causing people to form a strong sense of fear which in turn causes mental instability.
Dr. Azazy confirmed that mental health deterioration or improvement affects the immune system accordingly. And since we need strong immune systems to fight this virus, we absolutely need stable mental health.
This pandemic caused two types of psychological effects. The first effect is on those who were already suffering from mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), especially the ones who suffer from obsessive cleaning and disinfecting symptoms, the virus caused a trigger that increased the severity of these disorders and made them harder to manage. The second effect is on those who were mentally stable but unfortunately started showing symptoms of these disorders.
“We definitely faced a large number of cases during this pandemic who were mentally affected by the virus whether it was them personally, their loved ones being affected with disorders caused by the virus or losses of their loved ones,” said Dr. Azazy.
She added that a mentally stable person would recover much easier and with less side effects or none at all. As opposed to those facing a decline in their mental state or for example someone with anxiety, they would overthink their situation and focus on all the bad outcomes that may happen to them and expecting the worst, their recovery rate would be slower, more difficult and may be left with side effects.
It is advised that those who suffer from any mental disorder seek professional help as there is no shame in asking for help. It is equally as important to realize that there is a problem in the first place and not disregard any symptoms.
The media should recognize its role in spreading awareness about this issue, and focus on reassuring people more instead of only broadcasting the dangers of the pandemic. This is to reduce the level of anxiousness and fear that people may experience, therefore making them more stable psychologically which we need for stronger immune systems to fight the virus and reduce infection rates.
“The stigma and discrimination experienced by people who experience ill mental health not only affects that person’s physical and mental health, stigma also affects their educational opportunities, current and future earning and job prospects, and also affects their families and loved ones. This inequality needs to be addressed because it should not be allowed to continue. We all have a role to play to address these disparities and ensure that people with lived experience of mental health are fully integrated in all aspects of life,” according to the World Federation for Mental Health, ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’ Awareness Campaign 2021.