A scientific study has revealed that the novel coronavirus increases the likelihood of developing mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and sleep disturbances, for up to a year after recovery from the virus.
The study, reported by the scientific journal "British Medical Journal," emphasized the need to prioritize the issue of psychological disorders among COVID-19 survivors.
**Importance of the New Study**
Previous studies had already indicated an increased risk of anxiety and depression among COVID-19 patients, but these studies focused on specific psychological symptoms over periods that did not exceed six months at most.
In the new study, detailed by the medical research and science website "Medical Express," researchers gathered information from databases of the American Veterans Affairs. The study examined cases of individuals recovering from the virus 30 days after their diagnosis.
**Study Results**
The study included 153,848 recovering individuals, comparing them with two groups of people who did not contract the virus. Most participants were white males with an average age of 63.
The study found a 60% increase in the likelihood of experiencing psychological disorders among those who recovered from the virus. The incidence of sleep disorders rose by 24%, depressive symptoms by 15%, and declines in neurocognitive functioning by 11%, along with a 4% increase in substance abuse disorders.
The research confirmed that psychological disorders were more prominent among those who received hospital treatment after contracting COVID-19, although patients whose conditions did not require hospitalization also faced mental health issues after recovering from the illness.
