Most cited: Comorbidity and Association of Posttraumatic Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Somatic Complaints in COVID-19 Georgian Patients at the Beginning of Pandemic

Author(s):Giorgi Sikharulidze*, Levan Ratiani, Mariam Sordia, Elene Sikharulidze, Tinatin Khutsishvili, Khatuna Lejava and Eric Vermetten

Background: The global pandemic which the world has been facing for the past two years has demonstrated the need to study the effects of this virus on mental health. Various studies showed that COVID-19 could be a threat to people’s mental health and physical health, yet the findings are still very limited. The purpose of the study was to fill an existing gap in the corresponding literature by analyzing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, somatic complaints, depression, and anxiety in COVID-19 patients and studying their comorbidity to determine the impact of the virus on the patients’ mental well-being.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 took part in the study one month after their discharge from the hospital, accounting for 10% of all COVID-19 patients across Georgia during the research. PTSD Checklist (PCL-5) was used. Depression, somatic symptoms, and anxiety were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ).

Results: The results have shown that COVID-19, as a traumatic event, presents an association with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and somatic complaints. A high prevalence of depression (38,6%), anxiety (34,9%), and somatic symptoms (47%) was displayed. The overall indirect effect of PTSD on somatic symptoms was significant through depression and anxiety: 0.16, 95% CI [0.08, 0.26]. According to the report, the indirect effect of PTSD on somatic symptoms of depression was 0.12, 95% CI [0.05, 0.20].

Conclusion: The study presents important findings on the relations between COVID-19 and patients mental health. Somatic complaints, depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms were prevalent in participants even after a month since they had COVID-19. Correlations between somatic complaints, anxiety, depression, and PTSD were also demonstrated. Even though there are various limitations to this study, how COVID-19 could affect mental health warrants further, more detailed research, which is necessary.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3DCnIfS

Aims & Scope: Current Psychiatry Research and Reviews

Current Psychiatry Research & Reviews publishes peer-reviewed expert reviews, original research articles and single topic guest-edited issues dedicated to clinical research on all the latest advances in clinical psychiatry and its related areas, e.g. pharmacology, epidemiology, clinical care and therapy. The journal is essential reading for all clinicians, psychiatrists and researchers working in the field of psychiatry. The aims and scope of the journal cover all aspects of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in humans, such as depression, panic disorder, PTSD, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, delusions and hallucinations, psychosis, bipolar disorder, insomnia, substance use disorder, addictive behavior, etc. In addition, treatment of such diseases through psychotherapy, medications, psychosocial interventions, and somatic treatment is also included.

Press Release | Children & coronavirus infection (COVID-19): How to avoid post-traumatic stress disorder

This editorial by Prof. Michele Roccella is published in The Open Pediatric Medicine Journal, Volume 10, 2020

 

COVID-19 is a pandemic that has forced many states to declare restrictive measures in order to prevent their wider spread. These measures are necessary to protect the health of adults, children and people with disabilities. Long quarantine periods could cause an increase in anxiety crisis, fear of contagion and post-traumatic stress disorder (frustration, boredom, isolation, fear, insomnia, difficulty concentrating).

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops as a consequence of one or more physical or psychological traumatic events, such as exposure to natural disasters such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis; wars, torture, death threats; road accidents, robbery, air accidents; diseases with unfavorable prognosis; complicated or traumatic mourning; physical and sexual abuse and abuse during childhood; victimization and discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity. It can also develop following changes in lifestyle habits caused by the COCOVID-19 epidemic. The arrival of the pandemic caused by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the world is bringing families, teachers, educators and all the people who care for children every day. Long quarantine periods could cause an increase in anxiety crisis, fear of contagion and post-traumatic stress disorder (frustration, boredom, isolation, fear, insomnia, difficulty concentrating). It is important to speak calmly and directly to children.

The child may also be told that isolation is needed to avoid contact with the virus until we have effective drugs or a vaccine. For children, staying at home is not a problem, they are used to holidays; they spend their time playing, watching television, talking with family members, in some cases where the restrictive measures are not too strict, I can play outdoors. In these cases it is essential to reassure the children, to structure their day, to divide the times and spaces according to patterns and rhythms. We can say that based on previous quarantine experiences that long periods of isolation can lead to psychological symptoms such as emotional disturbances, depression, stress, mood disturbances, irritability, insomnia and signs of traumatic post-stress disorders. Therefore it is important to be able to explain to children what is happening and how to manage this traumatic event following the COVID-19 pandemic. Read full Press Release to find out more: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-05/bsp-cc050620.php

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This editorial can be obtained from the following link: https://benthamopen.com/ABSTRACT/TOPEDJ-10-1

PTSD symptoms tied to food addiction in women

It isn’t about what’s wrong, it’s about what happened!

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is noted as a mental health situation that occurs due to any terrifying event. Symptoms may involve flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as various thoughts about the event.

This does not surely mean that PTSD leads to food addiction, but it explains a connection with the mental condition caused by that disturbing events, researchers quotes“I would really admire to come across those people who bring a lot of history to their eating behaviors,” says Susan Mason, from the University of Minnesota.

According to a research“woman’s prospect of having food addiction rise with the number of PTSD symptoms” she reported.For example, those with almost six or seven PTSDsymptoms had more risk of food addiction. Researchers also endow the connection of PTSD and food addiction was strong when PTSD symptoms initiate at a basic age. There was bit dissimilarity when they glanced at what sort of trauma the women previously went through.

Women’s Weight status is not just a symptom of willpower and education; there may be psychological factors in the play too. Researchers are still oblivious which occurred first in a women –either PTSD or food addiction –or may be one causes the other.