Citation

Sher L. Rev. Bras. Psiquiatr. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Associacao Brasileira de Psiquiatria)

DOI

10.1590/1516-4446-2020-1210

PMID

32696808

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in China at the end of 2019 and has quickly spread around the world.1 Millions of people across the globe are infected and hundreds of thousands have died. The COVID-19 crisis is associated with very significant psychological and social consequences that will probably persist for a long time. Millions of people around the world have experienced distress, anxiety, uncertainty, and social isolation.1,2 Millions of people have lost their jobs. This disaster has had a profound impact on the mental state of vulnerable individuals, especially individuals with pre-existing psychiatric disorders. Individuals with pre-existing psychiatric conditions include not only persons who are treated by mental health professionals but also a huge number of people with psychiatric disorders who do not receive psychiatric care.3-6 In this article, I propose that individuals with untreated psychiatric disorders may be at an especially high risk for suicide during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Language: en