For 1 In 3 The COVID Hangover Includes Psychiatric Disorders

The fear of contracting the Coronavirus is bad enough.  Fighting the virus, is for many, worse, with potential deadly consequences.  But if you do get the virus, and you do fight the good fight and you do emerge from your hospital room or home quarantine in recovery, your health problems may not be over.

According to United press International (UPI) reporting, more than one-third of people in the United States who survive COVID-19 develop a psychiatric or neurological condition related to the virus within six months of infection.

I had a three day hospital visit thanks to Coronavirus and so far (hold the jokes) my mental health seems to be holding up. (again, hold the jokes!)  But for many, COVID-19 is the viral gift that keeps on giving with conditions like anxiety, which the study found in about 17% of patients. 14% of other survivors showed signs of experiencing depression.  Disturbingly, with 7% of patients who experienced neurological complications had a stroke while in intensive care, and two percent were diagnosed with dementia within six months of becoming infected.

So how common are these kinds of after effects with other illnesses?  "These diagnoses were more common in COVID-19 patients than in those with flu or respiratory infections over the same time period, suggesting the coronavirus has a specific impact on metal and brain health." 

Since the start of the pandemic, the UPI says other studies have suggested that those who survive the virus may be at increased risk of these kind of disorders.

Study co-author Dr. Paul Harrison, "Although the individual risks for most disorders are small, the effect across the whole population may be substantial for health and social care systems."

Researchers say they now need to study health impacts on patients from 6 months to one year after recovery.