Citation

Ked S, Biomed M. Malta Med. J. 2021; 33(2): 98-106.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, University of Malta Medical School)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND Fear and uncertainty of COVID-19 pandemic effects will bring new mental health problems to society. This review aims to describe how fear and uncertainty of COVID-19 pandemic effects bring various psychosocial impacts and psychiatric problems. The biggest psychiatric problem during the COVID-19 pandemic is suicide. People die not because of the virus, but it was caused by their fear. Financial problems forced people to seek the easiest way of hindrance, i.e. suicide. People should believe that this COVID-19 pandemic won't last forever. It is just a temporary condition. Online mental health surveys to assess and treat any possible new/worsening psychiatric problems must be done in collaboration.

CONCLUSION Understanding what effects on the brain and mental health will help a lot in dealing with fear, uncertainty, stress, and psychiatric disorder during this hard pandemic time. Mentally affected populations are various such as health workers, children, productive age people, and the elderly. People have to adapt to new normal if they want to be healthy. © 2021, University of Malta. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

human; mental health; suicide; suicidal ideation; prevalence; pandemic; suicidal behavior; social isolation; posttraumatic stress disorder; mood disorder; serotonin; mental disease; mental health care; distress syndrome; apoptosis; fear; mental health service; social psychology; panic; neurotransmission; health care personnel; Article; immune deficiency; synaptogenesis; chronic stress; phagocytosis; nerve degeneration; uncertainty; excitotoxicity; quinolinic acid; physiological stress; coronavirus disease 2019; quarantine