How to identify mental health challenges after having COVID

Share this article:

As we continue to learn more about COVID, a recent study is shedding light on the mental health and addiction challenges that can arise in patients recovering from the illness.

We have seen evidence for months that depression and anxiety are skyrocketing during the pandemic, and many experts have attributed that increase to the stresses of general isolation, fear of getting sick, economic uncertainty, added responsibilities with at-home learning, and concerns over systemic racism. This latest study points to an additional factor: the impact of COVID itself on the brain. 

Approximately 30% of the people studied, all who had a COVID diagnosis, developed depression or anxiety within six months. People who survived complicated cases were at an increased risk.

As we kick off Mental Health Month, Jerry Halverson, MD, FACPsych, DFAPA, chief medical officer for Rogers Behavioral Health, says it’s important for people to recognize the signs of mental illness and seek help for themselves or their loved ones.

“There seems to be something about COVID that makes it more likely for people to have anxiety or depression,” Dr. Halverson explains. “We have good treatment, and we can get people back to their normal selves.”

You can learn more about the study and the signs of mental illness to look for by watching this video with Dr. Halverson.