Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ News / India/  Long Covid patients likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, say experts
BackBack

Long Covid patients likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, say experts

Several patients India who survived acute Covid-19 in the last three years are now suffering from some type of mental disorder, with depression and anxiety being the most common.

World Mental Health Day is celebrated on 10 October to raise awareness and advocate against social stigmaPremium
World Mental Health Day is celebrated on 10 October to raise awareness and advocate against social stigma

Long Covid Syndrome could result in psychological distress and psychiatric problems. Health experts have found that patients who have recovered from mild to medium cases of Covid-19 and is now suffering from Long Covid has also seen psychological distress as a symptom. 

"The Acute Covid patients have had some psychological and psychiatric symptoms, but what is now more relevant is the Long Covid or Post Covid psychological and psychiatric symptoms. This may be due to direct effects of the virus on the brain, it also affects on the psyche and mind, social effects and economic impact altogether," news agency ANI quoted Dr Nimesh Desai, former Director, of IHBAS.

"As such care for long or post covid syndromes should be many medical specialities including psychiatry," he added.

World Mental Health Day is celebrated on 10 October to raise awareness and advocate against social stigma. The slogan for 2022's celebration of World Mental health Day is “Make mental health & well-being for all a global priority." It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries.

Vikas Gaur, Head of the Psychiatry Department at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad explained that after physically recovering from Covid, from the third week onwards, many patients have reported mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep disorders.

"These are new cases due to the neuro-psychiatric manifestation of Long Covid. Most such cases reported today are from females, or from patients who had physical comorbidities or a history of mental disorders in the past", he added.

As per experts, a significant proportion of patients in India who survived acute Covid-19 in the last three years are now suffering from some type of mental disorder, with depression and anxiety being the most common.

"In my recent research among people from the general population who suffered from Covid in the last two to three years, about 50 per cent of them are now suffering from mental symptoms of some kind such as depression or anxiety. About 26 per cent of people who were ill with Covid are now suffering from sleep disorders and an equal number from anger-related issues. Interestingly, there is also a substantial rise in the onset of new cases of psychosis, a trend not seen earlier," said Dr Vikas Gaur.

People who suffered from Covid-19 are now seeking medical help for cognitive problems related to memory and concentration, which was not seen in the pre-Covid times, said experts.

"Elderly people above the age of 60 years are especially affected. About 50% of them are now reporting symptoms of significant anxiety, compared to only 2-3% before the pandemic," said Dr Vikas Gaur.

According to the report published by the WHO, there has been a 25 per cent rise in cases of depression and anxiety, "As reported by the WHO in 2022 there has been a 25 per cent surge in cases of Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorders. Patients continue to seek intervention for these and other conditions", said Dr Kamna Chibber, Fortis Hospital, Gurugram.

In 2019, one in every eight people, or 970 million people around the world, were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common, according to WHO. In 2020, the number of people living with anxiety and depressive disorders rose significantly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most people with mental disorders do not have access to effective care. 

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 10 Oct 2022, 09:24 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App