Citation

Fares-Otero NE, Trautmann S, Pfaltz MC, Rodríguez-Jiménez R. J. Psychiatr. Res. 2021; 138: 453-455.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.04.031

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has created unprecedented global health and social challenges. Between December 2019 and April 2021, over 149 million cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed worldwide (WHO, 2021). As the number of infections and deaths continues to surge, governments have (re)introduced restrictions such as lockdowns, no-contact regulations and quarantine. Despite the fact that the pandemic affects the life of the vast majority of individuals, several subgroups are at particularly high risk for adverse consequences.

Psychosis is a mental health condition that requires specific attention in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been demonstrated that stressful life events are an important risk factor for the exacerbation of psychotic symptoms (Norman and Malla, 1993). Given their vulnerability to social determinants of mental health (Anglin et al., 2020), people with psychotic disorders (PD) may be at risk for adverse consequences of stress associated with physical distancing and reduction in social connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic. In turn, abrupt changes in life circumstances disproportionally affect people with PD (Brown et al., 2020), while lockdown and social distancing have disrupted much of the professional support available to them under normal circumstances.

During this prolonged period of crisis, the need for mental health and psychosocial assistance will likely increase in individuals with PD, due to the complex and multiple stressors and difficulties associated with the pandemic. In fact, many of the critical psychosocial stressors of the COVID-19 crisis will probably remain for a longer period of time. It is, therefore, a critical time window for the development of novel interventions for these patients, in order to reduce the burden and costs associated with adverse stress-related consequences of the COVID-19 crisis...

Language: en

Keywords

Stress; Schizophrenia; Childhood abuse; Cognitive-behavioural therapy; COVID-19 pandemic