NYT: More than half of Americans recovering from coronavirus report symptoms of severe depression

New York Times edition informsthat researchers continue to find more and more evidence that the coronavirus has damaged the mental health of people who have recovered from it.

The publication cites a study by psychiatrists published in the JAMA Network of the American Medical Association.

According to expert surveys, more than half of American adults have reported symptoms of major depressive disorder to doctors after a coronavirus infection. In addition, the researchers noted that the risk of developing these symptoms, as well as other psychiatric disorders, remains high up to a year after recovery.

Clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis, Ziad Al-Ali, told the publication that he was not surprised that the pandemic had such an impact on people.

“This is a seismic event,” the doctor said. People infected with the coronavirus have been impacted by health problems, grief from the loss of loved ones, social isolation and disruption of daily activities. Especially the stress of these events weighed heavily on them in the early stages of the pandemic.

At the same time, compared with those who managed to avoid infection, but who were also affected by all of these factors, those who recovered became more vulnerable to various mental health problems.

“There is something about the coronavirus that really affects the brain,” Al-Ali said. According to him, some of those who have been ill become depressed, while others get strokes, anxiety, “memory disorders and sensory disorders.” But there are also those who have no neurological or psychiatric impairment at all after the illness, he said.

Scientists are still studying exactly how the coronavirus changes the brain, but there are already some possible explanations. In particular, a number of studies have shown that the immune system is overloaded when infected. This can result in inflammation “throughout the body and even in the brain.” There is some evidence that the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels in the brain are damaged during Covid-19 and can leak harmful substances that affect mental function. And cells that normally act “like housekeepers” in the brain become rogue, attacking neurons and damaging synapses, Al-Ali explained.

In addition, Covid-19 can interfere with bacteria and microbes in the gut that produce mood-regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which can lead to some neuropsychiatric problems.

Those most at risk of developing post-coronavirus depression are those with pre-existing mental health conditions, as well as those who have had a severe form of Covid-19, said Megan Hosey, a rehabilitation psychologist who works with ICU patients at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Researchers estimate that young people are more at risk of suicide and self-harming behavior after Covid, women are more likely than men to report mental health problems, and people with conditions such as asthma, cancer, and heart disease are more likely to develop symptoms of mental health problems after Covid.

Also, experts warn that people who experience severe sleep problems, as well as those who are socially isolated, who abuse alcohol, who need formacological treatment, “may be more likely to experience depression after the physical symptoms of Covid-19 disappear.” If stressful situations remain after recovery from the coronavirus, then the development of depression is almost inevitable.

Persistent feelings of depression for two to six weeks after becoming infected with Covid, which begin to interfere with daily activities or negatively affect relationships with other people, may be a sign of depression, said Dr. Hoshi. In addition, people with depression may experience persistent sadness, tearfulness, irritability, changes in appetite or weight, trouble thinking or concentrating, as well as tormenting feelings of great guilt, worthlessness, or hopelessness, thinking often about death, and developing suicidal thoughts.