Scientists believe that recovering from COVID-19 are prone to mental illness
Photo: Stoyan Nenov / Reuters
Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found dangerous mental health consequences for those who have had COVID-19. They published the findings of the study in the medical journal BMJ.
Scientists analyzed the data of 153,848 adults who received a positive PCR test and compared them with a control group who did not have a coronavirus infection. They also compared COVID-19 patients with flu patients to determine whether the risk of developing mental illness is unique to the coronavirus.
The results of the work showed that people who had an infection were 35 percent more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders and almost 40 percent more likely to experience depression than other respondents. The experts also noted that those who had been ill were 41 percent more likely to have sleep problems and 80 percent more likely to have neurocognitive decline, which is expressed in forgetfulness, confusion, lack of concentration and other disorders.
The experts also added that they do not know exactly why this is happening, but one of the leading hypotheses is that the virus can enter the brain and destroy cellular and neuronal connections, thereby causing mental disorders. In addition, they believe that special attention should be paid to identifying these diseases in those who have recovered from COVID-19.
In October 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed people with mental health issues such as depression and schizophrenia as at high risk of contracting the coronavirus.
