Psychiatric Consequences of Novel Coronavirus Pandemic

The spreading of the new COVID-19 is changing priorities, bringing new challenges to medicine and disrupting the social-biological-psychological balance resulting in mental health consequences during the active epidemic but more important, in the sequel of the outbreak, with expected long-term effects. First, there are psychiatric patients that tend to be less compliant to containment measures and therefore can present higher risk of infection. Moreover, official protocols recommend the stop of most antipsychotic drugs during infection with Covid-19 which can lead to relapse of mental disorder. On the other hand, restrictions in the healthcare units are impacting the relationship and contact between doctor and patient which in some cases, are psychological comforting and reassuring for the ill during treatment. Another aspect targets general population. The quarantine, work shutdown, self-isolation and unemployment are powerful stress factors with possible significant rise in depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sleeping disorders, substance abuse and suicidal behaviors. Loneliness and lack of normal daily routine, even in the era of internet and social media can bring up the importance and necessity of human contact and diversified activity. Isolation and closing of educational activity can increase incidence of domestic violence and child abuse within families with such problems but also new such cases can emerge due to stress and tensions between family members. Healthcare workers tend to be affected mainly by stress, lack of sleeping and burnout. All variables must be analyzed on account of prevention and management.