Reactive psychoses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Clinical perspectives from a case series

Background COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, by the World Health Organization. The pandemic has had unprecedented worldwide implications, in particular on marginalized populations. Aims The aim of this study is to review the impact of the pandemic on patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Method A number of databases were searched for this review, including PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. Search terms included psychosis and COVID-19, schizophrenia and COVID-19, and severe mental illness and COVID-19. We included all English language papers and preprints. The final search was done on 15 July 2020. Results Forty-seven relevant studies were identified and included in this review. Studies were summarised into five main subcategories: potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical health outcomes of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, impact on mental health outcomes, review of case reports and case series to date, treatment recommendation guidelines and risk of increased prevalence of psychosis. Conclusions Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders may be vulnerable to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This patient population has a number of risk factors, including psychosocial adversities and illness related factors. Continuous monitoring and long-term studies of the impact of the pandemic on this patient population are required.

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“…Supplementary Table 1 available at provides a summary of characteristics of the included studies in this review. 2,4-50…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In another case series study from Spain, Valdés-Florido et al 26 reported on four cases of brief psychotic disorder during the first 2 weeks of national quarantine. Two of the cases presented with serious suicidal behaviour.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: narrative review

Zhand

Joober

2021

BJPsych open

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“…While the initial cases were imported from Italy to São Paulo – the economic engine of Brazil with a metropolitan population of 22 million, COVID-19 quickly spread across Brazil, reaching 2433 cases in a month. As cases spread, so did the distress associated with the virus [ [1] , [2] , [3] ]. Research is starting to identify the potential breakout of large-scale mental health issues [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early evidence and predictors of mental distress of adults one month in the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil

Zhang

Wang

Jahanshahi

et al. 2021

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

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“…32 Recent evidence from a hospital in southern Spain suggests, over a short period of time, there has been an increase in brief reactive psychotic disorders in previously healthy populations directly triggered by stress related to the pandemic. 33…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A psychiatrist's perspective from a COVID-19 epicentre: a personal account

et al. 2020

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic has and will have a huge impact on mental health, especially in countries that have been significantly affected, such as Spain. Aims Here we aim to provide the perspectives of a group of psychiatrists from Barcelona, one of the epicentres of the pandemic so far, to highlight the potential fatality of a virus that caught us unaware and unprepared, and hopefully this article will be of aid to countries about to face the pandemic. Results The unprecedented situations that we have been faced with so far have included reconfiguring hospitals and the redeployment of healthcare professionals, with flexibility and adaptability key to managing the overload in demand. This has led to healthcare professionals being exposed to extremely stressful situations and they have had impossible decisions to make that may have mental health consequences, some of which may be severe and long lasting. Conclusions A rebound effect on mental health problems is to be expected in the medium and long term, especially for healthcare professionals and psychiatric patients, necessitating a strengthening of preventive approaches and policies for mental health along with a prompt reopening of mental health services. Ways to provide psychiatric healthcare in the immediate future need to be re-evaluated, and the development of telepsychiatry services is probably to be expected.

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Reactive psychoses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Clinical perspectives from a case series

Cited by 27 publications

References 14 publications

Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: narrative review

Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: narrative review

Early evidence and predictors of mental distress of adults one month in the COVID-19 epidemic in Brazil

A psychiatrist's perspective from a COVID-19 epicentre: a personal account

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