The virus can infect cells in the nervous system that support and protect neurons. This causes neurological and psychiatric manifestations. But the problem of mental disorders during a pandemic is complex, as people are also influenced by external factors of restrictive measures.
Psychiatrist Nikita Petrov believes that coronavirus is a stress factor and a catalyst for the development of mental disorders. The psychiatrist explains about the “brain fog” described by those who have been ill that this may be a reaction of the central nervous system (CNS) to disturbances in the body caused by covid. Fatigue and severe fatigue are possible in people who have had other severe viral or bacterial infections.
In addition to the most common conditions such as depression and sleep disturbance, panic attacks are among the consequences of the coronavirus. This can also be faced by those people who were not sick, but were indirectly affected by the pandemic on their lives.
When the virus enters the body, it can cause a systemic inflammatory response, such as a cytokine storm. This can lead to strokes, which affects the central nervous system and psyche, – says Nikita Petrov in an interview with Kuprum.
“When a patient is in intensive care with a severe viral infection, he may have delirious confusion, or infectious delirium. This is a change in consciousness, in which attention, thinking, a sense of space and time are disturbed. For example, a person does not understand where he is, does not recognize people or considers them to be intruders, takes acquaintances for strangers and vice versa, ”
The psychiatrist also stressed that hallucinations are possible. That is, the patient sees objects and acts, thinking that they are real. In this condition, the patient needs psychiatric help.
“It happens that after suffering covid, patients experience strong mental changes – delusional ideas, hallucinations appear, as in exacerbations of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder with psychotic symptoms,”
Mental health disorders can affect the elderly as well as people with chronic illnesses. In addition, people with high levels of stress are at risk. Another risk group is people who already have mental disorders.
Earlier “Letidor” told why, according to scientists, people are afraid to get vaccinated.
Read more news about the coronavirus here.
Photo: Depositphotos
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