ABSTRACT
The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in increased rates of anxiety and depression worldwide. Objective. To comparatively evaluate factors associated with the psychological impact of Coronavirus disease between 2019 and the pandemic year 2020. Materials and Methods. The study was performed on a group of 3224 patients, of which 197 were hospitalized, selected from Jan 1st 2019 until 30th Dec 2020 in a tertiary care center for psychiatric disorders. Data were collected from the observation charts. Results. The incidence of anxiety disorders is higher in the age range 40-70 years with an average value of 53 years old. In 2019, a third of patients (29,45%) had alcohol-related conditions and developed anxiety-depressive disorder. In 2020, the percentage was lower (9.38%), but also the number of admitted patients significantly decreased (p<0.0001). There were not found significant differences in age, gender or environment. Hypnotic disorders were more predominant in 2019 (54.6% vs 37.5%, p=0.01), whereas in 2020 anxiety and agitation increased significantly (34.4% vs 84.38%, p=0.0001). Relapses were similarly frequent in both years, in half of the cases. Conclusions. Coronavirus pandemic lead to a decrease in both presentations and admission to hospital. Although there were not found significant differences in age or gender, more patients from urban environment were admitted, which can have several explanations. Anxiety and agitation became the main reason for hospitalization in 2020.
ABSTRACT
Chronic alcohol consumption, also called alcoholism, is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive alcohol consumption, loss of control over alcohol consumption and a negative emotional state in the absence/lack of consumption. Statistics show that the incidence of alcohol consumption in the adult population has been increasing during the isolation due to the pandemic. It is fre-quently associated with the consumption of other substances, in which case mortality is higher than in the case of single alcohol consumption. The patterns of alcohol consumption are varied, being related to a series of demographic, social, psychological and behavioral variables. The most worrying aspect of alcohol consumption is represented by the increase in the frequency of this type of addiction among teenagers and young people. It should also be mentioned that there is an increase in the incidence in females and there are new variables related to the context of consumption: increased boredom, alcohol consumption for the purpose of relaxation and alcohol consumption as an activity in the absence of an entourage. During the pandemic, there was also the myth that alcohol consumption would be the basis for reducing the risk of contamination with the SARS CoV 2 virus, an aspect disproved by specialist studies. The increased consumption of alcohol during the pandemic could be correlated with anxiety and depression determined by the fear of illness and depression due to the loss of the job, the lack of social relations or online education, being unanimously accepted that alcohol has an anxiolytic role. Regarding ethanolic withdrawal (EW) symptoms, studies show that approximately 50% of patients with chronic alcohol consumption will develop withdrawal symptoms when they reduce the quantity of alcohol or stop drinking alcohol.Copyright © 2022 Cristina Dimofte et al., published by Sciendo.
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 is the newest and one of the most important infectious disease that became a pandemic during last year (2020) and it is caused by SARS-CoV-2 (human coronavirus), which first was diagnosed in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019 and spreaded globally during 2020 changing our lifestyle worldwide. To evaluate the development risk of psychiatric symptoms in patients who manifested COVID 19 symptoms during the quarantine period acute phase of the disease and the aggravation of some patients` symptoms after this infectious disease. Methods: We have conducted a study on 28 patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 and who have received psychopathological follow up during the quarantine through telemedicine, patients selected for a period of 3 month. Results: The average age of the patients was of 46,89 years old, with an associated standard deviation of 18,68 years and with a predominance in female gender (60,7%). 85,4% of the subjects developed psychopathologies, depending on the type of the experienced quarantine (especially home quarantine – sig = 0,042) or on the presence of sensory disorders as symptomatology (sig.=0,046). Conclusions: Adverse mental health impact has been reported in patients with SARS-CoV-2, that could be related either to the intensity of the COVID 19 symptoms (headache, cough, fever, gastrointestinal disorders, dyspnea, anosmia and ageusia) or to the disruption of personal and social healthcare and lifestyle. © Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology, Messina, Italy