Understanding The Impact Of COVID: Psychosis And Related Conditions
The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome novel coronavirus, also called SARS-CoV-2. The virus impacted people worldwide in many ways, affecting physical, emotional, and mental health. During the pandemic, many individuals were quarantined in their homes and unable to see friends and family members or go to work, which may have impacted existing mental disorders in addition to increasing the rate of development of new disorders.
Some individuals who contract COVID-19 may have an increased risk of psychosis. Psychosis generally refers to symptoms indicating a break from reality, such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking and speech. Psychosis can usually be treated with a combination of therapy, doctor-prescribed medication, and lifestyle changes.
What is psychosis?
Psychosis is a mental state typically characterized by a loss of contact with reality. People experiencing psychosis may have auditory and visual hallucinations (seeing or hearing stimuli that others do not), delusions (false beliefs), disorganized thinking, and unusual or erratic behavior.
Individuals with psychosis may experience symptoms in different ways and at varying levels of severity. In cases of psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, a person may have periods of psychosis alternating with periods of remission. For individuals with bipolar disorder, psychosis may occur alongside severe episodes of mania. In both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, environmental and lifestyle risk factors, such as substance use and stress, may impact the severity of psychotic symptoms.
Although symptoms can impact a person’s daily life, various treatment methods can reduce symptoms and improve overall outcomes. These treatments may involve a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes. For people who experience psychosis, a psychotic episode may require immediate in-person care to alleviate symptoms. Working with a team of professionals may be part of recovery.
The link between COVID-19 and psychosis
During the peak of COVID-19, mental health concerns like anxiety and depression generally increased for both individuals who had COVID-19 and those who did not. However, individuals who contracted COVID-19 usually experienced higher rates of mental illness.
Those with an acute infection sometimes experienced neuropsychiatric sequelae, which generally refers to mental health disorders that developed due to COVID-19. These mental health concerns, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, typically affected individuals who had contracted COVID-19 more frequently than those who hadn’t experienced the illness. New-onset psychosis could also be linked to COVID-19, although with less frequency than other mental health conditions.
The mechanisms linking infectious diseases to mental health conditions and associated neuropsychiatric manifestations or neuropsychiatric complications may involve an infection of the central nervous system (CNS) and related structures.
These complications could be a direct result of infection of the CNS or cerebrovascular damage, or they could also be a result of indirect factors, such as hypoxia (a lack of oxygen in the tissues) due to reduced lung capacity or an immune response.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals were often isolated and quarantined, unable to meet with other people face-to-face. Studies have shown that psychosocial factors related to isolation may have increased the rate of psychotic symptoms in some individuals. In addition, during periods of quarantine, individuals may not have had the same access to mental health services and social support networks, which may have caused symptoms to go unnoticed for longer periods.
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on mental health
The coronavirus pandemic can be said to have had long-lasting impacts on mental health outside of the increased rate of psychosis. In general, rates of depression, anxiety, and other disorders appear to have increased since the beginning of the pandemic. Individuals who have been infected with the virus may experience these conditions more frequently and with greater intensity than the general public.
These mental health conditions may have a long-term impact extending beyond the time a person is actively experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, as well as beyond the isolation period of the pandemic. For example, depression may persist due to a prolonged state of inflammation as a result of the virus.
Substance use disorder, as well as substance use-related deaths, are both reported to have increased during the pandemic, and studies indicate that added stress due to economic uncertainty and social isolation may have contributed to these increases.
All of these factors may also be related to an increase in psychotic symptoms and could exacerbate psychosis in individuals who live with psychotic disorders or have previously experienced psychotic episodes.
Although psychosis can be highly impactful, finding support and reducing the frequency and intensity of symptoms is possible. Working with a mental health professional can help individuals develop effective coping strategies and receive the treatment they deserve.
Coping strategies and support
Although isolation and quarantine due to COVID-19 are mostly in the past, the coronavirus may still be spreading worldwide, potentially impacting people’s lives and mental health. Managing the mental health symptoms of COVID-19 and psychosis often involves working with a mental health professional. A therapist, doctor, or psychiatrist may help you identify psychosis risk factors and make a plan for reducing symptoms and their impacts.
Treatment options for psychosis typically include the following:
- Medication: Antipsychotic medications may be prescribed for individuals with mental health conditions involving psychosis. These can reduce the incidence and severity of psychotic episodes in some people and may be prescribed and monitored by a psychiatrist or doctor. Prescription medication may be used in conjunction with therapy and other strategies.
- Therapy: Attending therapy sessions, along with taking antipsychotics as prescribed, may be considered the standard treatment for managing mental illnesses involving psychosis. A therapist may implement various therapy techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), to help individuals identify risk factors and manage symptoms.
- Lifestyle modifications: Making some changes to a person’s lifestyle, including getting enough sleep, eating nutrient-rich foods, and exercising regularly, may reduce symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
- Developing a support network: Having a support network of therapists, doctors, friends, and family members can help in managing mental health challenges.
- Stress management: For some people, stress is a cause of psychosis. Managing stress by engaging in mindfulness techniques, practicing deep breathing exercises, or meditating may help prevent psychotic episodes.
A mental health professional can help individuals with psychosis develop a plan for managing the associated symptoms and impacts. Although treating acute psychosis may require immediate in-person treatment, online therapy can be an effective preventative measure to identify risk factors and reduce the impact of psychotic episodes. An online therapist may implement cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to help clients discover thought patterns that trigger psychotic symptoms and work to reframe those thoughts.
For individuals managing the aftermath of psychosis, finding an in-person therapist who is taking new clients and has appointment slots available that fit your schedule can be challenging. With online therapy, you can meet with a therapist from any location with an internet connection, which generally allows for more flexibility when choosing a therapist. Many online therapists offer session times outside of traditional business hours, which can make attending sessions more convenient as well. Online therapy can also give individuals in rural areas a chance to receive the mental health services they deserve without having to drive to a larger metropolitan area.
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