Recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological behavioral problems of "long COVID"
10.3760/cma.j.cn371468-20230704-00307
- VernacularTitle:长新冠心理行为问题的诊治建议
- Author:
Jianlin JI
1
;
Yuanyuan LI
Author Information
1. 复旦大学附属中山医院心理医学科，上海 200032
- Keywords:
COVID-19;
Long COVID;
Depression;
Anxiety;
Insomnia;
Cognitive dysfunction
- From:
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science
2023;32(9):769-773
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Individuals should be alerted to "long COVID", which is a general term for symptoms that last for weeks or months after COVID-19 infections. Psychological and behavioral symptoms of long COVID mainly include insomnia, depression, anxiety and cognitive dysfunction. These symptoms could last for several months or longer after individuals recovered from COVID-19 infections, which could impact patients’ social functioning and quality of life.This paper reviewed recent researches and discussed several aspects concerning long COVID psychological and behavioral symptoms, including influencing factors, approaches of early identification, and interventions/treatment. The author proposed that patients’ problems of insomnia, mood disorders and cognitive dysfunction should be identified timely. Comprehensive interventions should be offered timely, especially those combined with health education, psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy, as well as rehabilitation training. Most of the patients would experience symptoms improvement and recovery, with their level of social functioning returning back to that before they got COVID-19 infections.
