There are far too many terrifying aspects of the Coronavirus to even come close to listing them all in one place. One of them, however, is that we are still wildly ignorant with regards to what types of damage this virus can inflict, both in the near-term and over the course of a lifetime for survivors. What we do know is, as of this writing, that nearly 12 million people in the United States have contracted the virus since the pandemic began, and based on current trending, that number is likely to continue to grow rapidly over the coming months. What if, of those who survive, one-fifth contracted some other serious illness? Would that be a concern? What if 20 percent of survivors develop a COVID-19 mental illness?
Unfortunately, that could be what’s happening as we speak, according to the results of a recent study of Americans. The study found that people who contract the Coronavirus and who survive, while obviously fortunate to do so, face a much higher risk of dealing with additional serious medical problems when compared to those who manage to avoid the virus. The findings have sent alarm bells out all over the world, as this could be something that takes hold after the pandemic has passed.
About the COVID-19 Mental Illness Study
The study, which can be found here, was completed by researchers from Oxford University in the United Kingdom. They reviewed network health records of nearly 70 million Americans. 62,354 of them were diagnosed with COVID-19. They looked for several different types of diagnoses in the 14 to 90 days that followed the Coronavirus diagnosis. What they found was that among people who had never had a psychiatric diagnosis in the past, 20 percent of patients developed a COVID-19 mental illness within that 90-day timeframe.
Specifically, those people who were diagnosed with a mental illness most commonly had:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
In addition, the researchers found a significantly increased risk for dementia. Perhaps equally as troubling was the finding that of the people who had previously been diagnosed with a mental illness within the previous three years, 65 percent of them developed a COVID-19 mental illness.
What It All Means
Some experts are calling the results of this study nothing short of stunning. Those involved with the study have loudly called for additional analysis of this potential link between the Coronavirus and COVID-19 mental illness. Does the Coronavirus lead to the development of problems in the brain? Is there an independent risk factor present? How prepared should all of us be for the potential fallout from these findings both now and well after the pandemic is in the past?
The numbers, when extrapolated, are stark. Even if no one else in the United States contracts the virus, it still means that approximately 2.4 million people will develop some sort of COVID-19 mental illness if the data from this study are accurate. That would also assume that none of the people who have yet to be diagnosed have had any mental health problems in the past, which obviously is not the case. Given that nearly 70 million people were included in the analysis, the researchers feel that there is more than enough information there to immediately sound the alarm of concern.
Not to mention, the researchers themselves stated that the percentages, if they were at all inaccurate, were more likely to be understated than the opposite. Any way you look at it, millions of people are going to suffer from mental health challenges as a result of this pandemic, and that number could very easily reach into the tens of millions.
Is this happening because the virus itself causes some sort of biochemical change in the brain? Are people suffering because of the radical changes their lives have undergone involuntarily? This is what the research community wants to work towards finding out, but the bottom line is that we all need to be ready to deal with a “COVID-19 mental illness pandemic” that’s going to last well beyond the virus itself.
How Swift Recovery Solutions Can Help
We have long known that far too many people in the United States and around the world who suffer from mental illness are never diagnosed or treated as they should be. That could very easily be happening right now during the pandemic, but the bottom line is that millions of people are in real danger of developing a COVID-19 mental illness that will be extremely difficult to deal with for more than one reason.
If you or someone you love is suffering from any type of mental health challenge, COVID-19-related or not, you need to know that regardless of what’s happening in the world, you still can and should seek the help you need and deserve. Despite what’s happening, Swift Recovery Solutions is still here, still operating and still helping people deal with their addiction and mental health difficulties. We make sure that those we work with are safe and that they understand why they’re there and what we need to accomplish.
People are putting off too many things these days because they’re not sure they should be doing them. Taking care of your mental health is not one of those things. It’s never too soon for you to at least find out if you or someone you love could benefit from treatment. If you’re concerned about how to pay for the help you may need, you need to call us. We work directly with insurance companies, so we will figure out what your coverage situation is before you commit. Just contact us so we can help you decide if we should take additional steps. If nothing else, you should now realize that you’re very far from alone if you’re struggling. We look forward to helping you.
