Experts Predict Mental Health Storm Due To Coronavirus

Experts predict mental health storm due to coronavirus

Psychologists and psychotherapists warn about the threat of collective psychotrauma from a pandemic. Similar warnings have been issued by the World Health Organization and the United Nations.

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Thus, Oleg Knysh, a clinical psychologist at the City Clinical Hospital No. 15, who also deals with the problems of professional burnout of doctors, urged not to close our eyes to the alarming situation with the deterioration of the mental health of the population.

“Whether the second, third and other covid waves will be a big question. But in the field of mental health, a serious storm is looming. From the point of view of some researchers of PTSD (post-traumatic disorder), trauma can be transmitted 6-7 generations ahead. And you need to think about it now. Think carefully and seriously,”the specialist wrote.

Oleg Knysh emphasized that situational, emotional and populist decisions in this matter will only harm.

Earlier, the WHO published a policy note warning of the risks of a significant rise in the rate of mental disorders during a pandemic.

According to the document, incoming data from various fears are already pointing to a sharp rise in symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders in many countries. For example, Ethiopia saw a threefold increase in the prevalence of depression symptoms in April compared to pre-pandemic estimates.

According to WHO experts, a surge in mental disorders has been recorded among primary care workers. Thus, during the epidemic in China, high rates of depression (50%), anxiety disorders (45%) and insomnia (34%) were registered among medical workers, and in Canada 47% of medical personnel stated the need for psychological support.

It is especially difficult for the elderly and patients with mental disorders. In many countries, such patients are faced with the inability to receive timely medical care. Assistance systems are suffering not only due to the conversion of psychiatric institutions to serve COVID-19 patients, but also the infection of employees with a viral infection and the termination of personal admission of patients, which is why entire hospitals are being quarantined.

“It has become abundantly clear that mental health goals must be at the heart of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.