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Mental after effects of covid 191/19/2024 ![]() ![]() “As a therapist, I started to see the correlation between depression and COVID-19 in April 2020, when people realized that staying at home was no longer a benefit, but an obligation. Loss of a job or fear of a loss of a job.Loss of access to caregivers and basic medical needs.Grief about missing milestones and major life events.Any of these can be factors that might be contributing to depression, anxiety, or a host of other mental health conditions. If you’ve experienced depression due to COVID-19 and related to any of the following, you’re not alone. Whether it’s fear for yourself, or worry for your kids and others, surviving the COVID-19 pandemic is something the majority of people seem to be struggling with. ![]() Guilt or fear of spreading COVID to othersĮven if you haven’t contracted COVID-19, the toll the pandemic has taken on many people’s mental health cannot be denied.Psychological reaction to contracting a potentially deadly virus.These may all be the result of stress-related to: High levels of sleep disturbances, PTSD, anxiety, and depression have been commonly reported during and after COVID infections. ![]() Psychological stress: Multiple psychological factors seem to play a part in depression during COVID. ![]() Additionally, research has also linked elevated systemic immune-inflammation levels to major depressive disorder. High levels of cytokines can result in, among a host of other complications, the following:Įach of the above conditions are directly linked to various mental health conditions, like depression. Higher levels of a specific cytokine - known as T-helper-2 cell-secreted cytokines - appears to be found in those with more severe symptoms and cases of COVID. Immune response: Part of what we think we know about COVID-19 infections is that in response to the virus, our immune system produces chemokines and cytokines, along with other inflammation-causing reactions. Psychological stress stemming from a COVID-19 diagnosis.While research continues, there are two ways it’s currently thought that COVID-19 can have an impact on mental health, including issues related to both: What is causing depression following COVID-19? Further, COVID survivors seem to be more likely to report other mental health conditions as well, including: The same study found that those who suffered more severe symptoms during their bout with COVID are more likely to report depression symptoms after recovering from the virus. There seems to also be a link between the severity of COVID and depression. Those individuals that have never felt depressed or who have the tools to deal with the symptoms of depression are less affected by it.” – Talkspace therapist Cynthia Catchings, LCSW-S, LCSWC, CFTP “It can be described as a side effect of COVID-19, but not everyone experiences it. In fact, more than half (52.4%) of people surveyed reported moderate to severe symptoms of major depression, even several months post-recovery. Though more studies need to be done to determine the long-term effects of depression due to COVID-19, some research is showing staggering results. Some people started to call it the “new normal,” but in reality, it was a set of new behaviors, thoughts, and expectations, and like most changes, it has been difficult to adapt to this change.” Talkspace therapist Cynthia V. “The changes involved are causing depression following COVID-19. Read on to learn how COVID depression may be impacting your mental health and to learn what you can do about it. If there’s one thing a global pandemic has taught us, it’s that we’re better together. What’s more, there’s help out there for you. Whether you’ve tested positive, a friend or family member has caught it, or you’ve lost a loved one to COVID-19 - even if you’re just struggling as a result of the last two years - if you’ve found yourself more stressed, anxious, or a little depressed, hear this: you’re not alone. The impact that living through a pandemic has had on our collective mental health is staggering. In hindsight, it’s no surprise that the pandemic triggered mental health issues. “At the beginning, it was alluring to work from home and complete a project wearing yoga pants and sipping tea, but the inability to socialize and go out created depressive symptoms due to the change in routine and lack of in-person interaction with others.” Talkspace therapist Cynthia V. ![]()
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