The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

COVID-19 and Mental Health under the COVID-19 Pandemic

2022-06-28T00:07:53.188Z


The new crown epidemic has been raging around the world for more than two years. Especially in the early stage of the epidemic, everyone was worried about the spread of the epidemic, the risk of severe illness and death. As the virus continues to mutate, the current mainstream Omicron variant virus causes severe and


The new crown epidemic has been raging around the world for more than two years. Especially in the early stage of the epidemic, everyone was worried about the spread of the epidemic, the risk of severe illness and death.

As the virus continues to mutate, the current mainstream Omicron variant virus causes severe illness and lower mortality than other variants. Everyone's focus is slowly turning to the sequelae of the new crown, that is, the "long new crown", and the society is also increasingly concerned about the impact of the new crown on mental health. Effects of health composition.


Written by: Dr. Yip Peilin, a psychiatrist of the Greater Bay Area Medical Association


Symptoms of "long new crown" include mental sequelae

The World Health Organization's clinical definition of "long-term new crown" is that it occurs in people who have been diagnosed or may be infected with the new coronavirus, usually appear within three months of infection, last for at least two months, and cannot be explained by other diagnoses.

Common symptoms of "COVID-19" include: difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of smell, and more and more people are concerned about the mental sequelae.

Academic research on the mental sequelae of the "long new crown"

A meta-study published in an academic journal in December 2021 comprehensively analyzed 51 academic studies and covered more than 18,000 new crown patients in multiple countries, with a median follow-up period of more than two months (the longest period of six months).

The study found that the most common symptoms and their percentages after new crown infection were: insomnia (27.4%), fatigue (24.4%), cognitive decline (20.2%), anxiety symptoms (19.1%), post-traumatic stress symptoms (15.7%) and depressive symptoms (12.9%).

But it is worth noting that more than half of the subjects in the above study were treated in the hospital; in contrast, only about one-sixth were treated in the community.

This has also been more common in other earlier studies of COVID-19 sequelae, as early COVID-19 patients had a higher rate of severe illness or hospitalization.

Since the admission rate of patients with the new coronavirus Omicron variant virus is relatively low, and the variant virus has only appeared for about half a year, whether the infected person will have other long-term symptoms, and whether the above data can be applied to Omicron patients, more needs to be done Analysis and research can draw conclusions.

The specific mechanism of the mental and cognitive sequelae caused by the new coronavirus remains to be understood, and the possibilities include direct infection of brain cells, immune system responses, and reduced blood supply to brain cells.

Of course, the stress of infection and post-epidemic recovery, as well as the experience of being hospitalized, may also produce emotional reactions and eventually lead to sequelae.

Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19

In fact, the new crown epidemic has lasted for more than two years, and many citizens feel a variety of huge pressures.

Although everyone’s situation and stress levels are different, stress can also have a negative impact on an individual’s mental health.

Common stress reactions include: Anxiety (fear, fear, physical reactions such as tremors, heartbeat, difficulty breathing, sweating, stomach upset, dizziness, headache, etc.), depression (loss of interest in things, loss of motivation, tiredness, difficulty concentrating mental, negative thoughts, etc.), irritability, sleep disorders, eating disorders, etc.

"Anti-stress" Remedy for the Epidemic

In the face of the pressure of the epidemic, you can try the following methods:

- Start by understanding what is causing the most stress to yourself.

For example, frequently browsing social media and being exposed to a large amount of epidemic information, so that the more you look at it, the more anxious you become, you should consider reducing your exposure to relevant information appropriately.

- Share your stress and emotions with trusted family and friends who may be able to provide practical assistance (eg child care), listen and provide emotional support.

Even though social gatherings are reduced, you can still keep in touch with family and friends through phone calls and messages to talk and support each other.

-Research shows that during aerobic exercise (such as running and cycling, the brain will release endorphins, which can help reduce stress and regulate mood. If you can do it three or more times a week, maintain 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise each time , the effect is better. Even during the epidemic, you should not stop exercising completely, you can consider simple exercise at home (such as stretching, skipping or buying a bicycle/treadmill for home use), or choose to go to places with fewer people Exercise.

-Staying at home for an extended period of time may produce feelings of dullness, oppression or loneliness.

It will help to find some spiritual sustenance, such as doing something that you have always wanted to do but haven't had the time to do, maintain a beneficial interest/hobby, pick a book to read, learn new things, delve into your religious beliefs, etc.

Of course, if stress and emotions cause considerable distress, or affect daily life (such as frequent insomnia leading to daytime lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and affecting work performance, frequent tantrums affecting family relationships, etc.), or even thinking of hurting yourself, you should Seek professional assistance as soon as possible to find out the cause and prescribe the right remedy.

Telemedicine helps fight the epidemic online diagnosis and provides appropriate treatment for home-isolated patients

The relationship between doctors and patients under telemedicine Can telemedicine break the imbalance between public and private medical care in Hong Kong?

Maintaining "dynamic training" under the new crown epidemic to help recoveries fight against long-term new crown symptoms

Source: hk1

All news articles on 2022-06-28

You may like

Life/Entertain 2024-02-04T23:40:11.374Z

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z
News/Politics 2024-03-28T05:25:00.011Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.