BAHRAIN’S medical experts are dealing with a growing number of patients suffering from psychotic symptoms after recovering from Covid-19.
It is a rare prognosis but has raised alarm because many of those affected have no history of mental illness, it has emerged.
Only now, as the globe recovers from the pandemic, are the consequences of Covid-19 emerging, said Arabian Gulf University (AGU) Psychiatry Department chairperson Professor Dr Mariwan Husni.
“Compared to other ailments such as influenza and respiratory infections, or accidents resulting in a fractured bone, Covid-19 patients are more likely to develop psychiatric illnesses such as anxiety, depression, psychosis and cognitive decline,” he explained.
“Psychiatrists are also seeing more reports of psychosis.”
Exact figures are still to be revealed but the worse-case sceneries appear to inflict around one per cent of virus survivors.
Psychosis is a mental disorder that causes abnormal thinking and perceptions in people who lose touch with reality. They display symptoms of delusion and hallucination.
Cases of anxiety following the infection accounted for an estimated 10 per cent of visits.
Prof Dr Husni spoke to the GDN after his recent presentation at the Scientific Forum of Psychiatry organised by the AGU.
A study involving more than 230,000 Covid-19 survivors, published in The Lancet Psychiatry in April, found 0.4pc, or nearly 1,000, had developed a psychotic disorder.
Prof Dr Husni pointed out that the Covid-19 virus appeared more resistant to pharmacotherapy (drugs) – adding that clinicians believe psychosis in Covid-19 patients could be a variant of an autoimmune (against own body cells) condition leading to encephalitis (infection of brain cells).
Prof Dr Husni praised the Health Ministry for taking pro-active measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 among current psychiatric patients.
“People with psychiatric illnesses have been more prone to contracting Covid-19,” he said. “This may be due to lifestyle issues as most of them do not follow public health guidelines.
“They also often have decreased immunity, poor dietary intake and general state of health. The Health Ministry was, however, on guard to identify any possible emergence of symptoms in our patients and to intervene and manage the situation effectively.
“Our staff and patients were tested frequently. All health and hygiene measures were made available.”
Prof Dr Husni observed that globally, frontline healthcare workers have been found to be the most affected by psychiatric concerns – mainly an offshoot of their pressure they felt under as a result of ‘guilt and anxiety’ about infecting their family.
“I heard of some young individuals in Kuwait staying together in chalets to avoid infecting family and relatives who have chronic illnesses or were elderly.”
In July the GDN reported that 40pc of those who took part in a study on mental health impact of the pandemic suffered from depression. Social distancing and isolation triggered post-traumatic distress in 20pc, while another 53.4pc reported perceived stigma, or fear of being discriminated against.
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