Psychiatric Issues After COVID-19

Abstract

The emergence of COVID-19 infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is a catastrophic humanitarian crisis with far-reaching consequences on public health. It has been well documented that a patient with respiratory viral disease can have both acute and long-term psychiatric sequelae. Psychological distress experienced by different subgroups of the population is likely to be different based on their vulnerabilities. There is emerging evidence that coronavirus infection can lead to insomnia, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other psychiatric conditions at variable intervals after recovery from the viral infection. The COVID-19 pandemic is also expected to have significant impact on the experience of death, dying, and bereavement, leading to an increase in the risk of developing complicated grief in the survivors. Thus, the long-term psychological sequelae of COVID-19 are likely to pose an additional burden on the already limited mental health services, especially in low- and middle-income countries.