Mental Impact of COVID-19 – Fear, Stress, Anxiety, Depression and Sequels

Abstract

Disease pandemics are known to cause mental impact, COVID-19 is not an exception. The ensuing mental health issues are not only restricted to the patients and their relatives/friends but affect the healthcare workers (HCWs) as well. Home isolated/quarantined patients/care takers experience a greater tendency of fear, stress, anxiety, and depression compared to those admitted in the hospital. Similarly, HCWs posted in COVID-19 designated areas of the hospital display higher levels of mental problems in comparison to those posted in non-COVID areas. Furthermore, long COVID-19 syndrome encompasses another large mental impact after 4-12 weeks of acute illness. Several instruments are available to screen for anxiety, fear, stress and depression, including the PSS 10 and DASS 21 questionnaires. These can be used by any HCW and even by educated patients or their care takers with telemedicine guidance from HCW. Treatment is also simple and cognitive behavioral therapy is a major solution and can be markedly practice with tele-consultation. The high degree of uncertainty associated with novel pathogens like COVID-19, both during acute and chronic effects has a profound effect on the mental state of asymptomatic/suspected/confirmed patients, their care takers, friends, as well as HCWs. However, by accepting pandemic with new-normal life of COVID-19 appropriate behaviors, human mankind can overcome these impacts.