Author: Taylor, Steven; Asmundson, Gordon J. G.
Description: When the current pandemic comes to an end, as it eventually will, many people will have lived through all kinds of stresses and losses, including the loss of friends and loved ones due to the novel coronavirus, the loss of jobs, the bankruptcy of businesses, and foreclosures on homes. For some people, marriages and other relationships will have crumbled under the stress of self-isolation and mounting financial hardships. If the research on natural disasters serves as a guide, as a result of the current pandemic an estimated 10% of people will develop severe psychological problems, such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But the percentage could be much higher. In the wake of the SARS outbreak in 2003, a number of people developed PTSD. A four-year follow-up study of 70 survivors of SARS, for example, found that 44% developed PTSD. Even after recovering from SARS, PTSD persisted for years in almost all (82%) of these sufferers. PTSD symptoms tended to be more severe in people who had a high perceived life threat, low social support, and more close relatives who suffered from, or died, from SARS. Other studies of SARS have reported similar findings. It is likely that the current coronavirus will also lead to cases of PTSD. Isolation and confinement, even if only for a few weeks, can cause lasting psychological problems. People quarantined for prolonged periods in cramped accommodation, sharing a bedroom with multiple occupants, or trapped at home in an abusive or coercive relationship, may be especially vulnerable to developing PTSD symptoms during and after the outbreak. Emerging evidence also suggests it is likely that many medical and non-medical health care workers will develop PTSD.
Subject headings: Pandemic; COVID-19; Mental health; Anxiety; Post-Pandemic; PTSD; SARS
Publication year: 2020
Journal or book title: Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Volume: 72
Pages: 102231
Find the full text: https://www.strategian.com/fulltext/Taylor2020.pdf
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Serial number: 3585