Risk of Developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Severe COVID-19 Survivors, their Families and Frontline Healthcare Workers: What Should Mental Health Specialists Prepare For?

Abstract

Given the high COVID-19 mortality, the disease itself may be experienced as a life-threatening and traumatic event. Therefore, in the article we try to answer three questions that are relevant to public mental health: Should mental health professionals prepare for the increase in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence due to the pandemic? Can we define groups of COVID-19 survivors who are at higher risk of developing PTSD? How can health specialists prepare for it? Given the results of previous research on PTSD in epidemic survivors (e.g. SARS), we suggest that mental health professionals in countries touched by the pandemic should prepare for an increase in the PTSD prevalence in individuals who have had COVID-19. The PTSD risk group includes mainly individuals: from groups at increased risk of complications or who have experienced complications; who were not provided healthcare due to health service overload; experiencing additional mental health problems; healthcare workers; and stigmatized groups. We postulate that individuals who experienced COVID-19 should be routinely screened for PTSD; particular attention should be given to individuals at risk. Mental health services should prepare for providing therapeutic interventions for individuals with PTSD, and support to families, especially children, of COVID-19 survivors with PTSD.

On the Nature of Fear and Anxiety Triggered by COVID-19

“…Research on the psychological reactions to previous epidemics and pandemics suggests that various psychological vulnerability factors may play a role in the extreme anxiety some people might presently manifest. COVID-19 survivors are at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in particular (a) hospitalized individuals, (b) individuals who were not provided healthcare, (c) healthcare workers and other professionals at risk during the pandemic, (d) stigmatized groups, and (e) individuals with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance misuse disorders, and other severe conditions such as brief reactive psychosis were also reported (Anmella et al, 2020;Sękowski et al, 2020). Individual differences such as intolerance of uncertainty, perceived vulnerability to disease, and anxiety (worry) proneness were stressed by previous research (Taylor, 2019;Asmundson and Taylor, 2020).…”

Exploratory study on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on the general Brazilian population

“…Children and adolescents depend on the care of protective figures, who are fragile and end up failing to provide the necessary support and care, leaving them in a situation of vulnerability and, therefore, very susceptible to stressful experiences [ 39 ].…”

Comparison of psychological symptoms between infected and non-infected COVID-19 health care workers

“…Many studies have illuminated the extent of the psychological damage done upon the family members and these healthcare workers [5,6]. More recent studies elucidated that not only those who care for the sick or suffer a loss can develop psychological symptoms, but those who were sick can develop psychological symptoms [7]. The severity of the disease and the anxiety resulted from the smallest chances of one presuming to have acquired this condition has caused some degrees of mental distress [7,8].…”