Journal of psychiatric research
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The use of psychedelic treatments has shown very promising results in some psychiatric and addictive disorders, but not all patients achieved a response. ⋯ The intensity of the acute psychedelic experience was the main predicting factor of response. The action mechanism of this experience was not clear, but some hypotheses could be made, such as a modulation of serotoninergic system by 5-HT2A receptors agonism, a modulation of the default mode network (DMN) with an acute modular disintegration of the DMN followed by a re-integration of this network with a normal functioning, or an anti-inflammatory effect of this treatment.
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COVID-19 peritraumatic distress (CPD), an emerging trauma-related psychopathology, involves immediate physiological arousal as well as emotional and cognitive responses to the threat of the COVID-19 outbreak. This study examined the prevalence of and temporal changes in CPD, its early and follow-up predictors and the extent to which it was predictive of mental health problems. ⋯ These longitudinal findings call for clinical efforts in assessment of and intervention in trauma-related distress. These efforts should be put into the predictive role of CPD in subsequent development of PTS symptoms and comorbidities as long as the health, social and economic consequences of the pandemic linger.
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The mental health of frontline workers is critical to a community's ability to manage crises and disasters. This study assessed risks for mental health problems (traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, alcohol use, insomnia) in association with pandemic-related stressors in a sample of emergency and hospital personnel (N = 571). Respondents completed self-report surveys online from April 1st to May 7th, 2020 in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. ⋯ Being in a management role over direct care providers was associated with higher odds of screening positive for anxiety, risky alcohol use, and insufficient sleep. There was an inverse relationship between number of positive COVID-19 cases and anxiety, such that as positive cases went up, anxiety decreased. Overall, the mental health risks that we observed early in the COVID-19 pandemic are elevated above previous viral outbreaks (SARS) and comparable to rates shown in disasters (9/11 attacks; Hurricane Katrina).
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This report characterizes patients presenting for psychiatric emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic and describes COVID-19-related stressors. ⋯ This report demonstrates the need for emergency psychiatric services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for clinical and diagnostic COVID-19 screening of psychiatric emergency patients. New and severe pathology underscore the need for enhanced outpatient access to tele-mental health, crisis hotline and on-line psychotherapeutic services, as well as psychiatric inpatient services with capacity to safely care for COVID-19 patients.
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There is growing concern that the COVID-19 crisis may have long-standing mental health effects across society particularly amongst those with pre-existing mental health conditions. In this observational population-based study, we examined how psychological distress changed following the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis in the United States and tested whether certain population subgroups were vulnerable to persistent distress during the crisis. We analyzed longitudinal nationally representative data from eight waves of the Understanding America Study (UAS) collected between March 10th and July 20th, 2020 (N = 7319 Observations = 46,145). ⋯ Distress levels subsequently declined to mid-March levels by June 2020 (d = -0.31, 95% CI [-0.34, -0.27], p < .001). Across the sociodemographic groups examined and those with pre-existing mental health conditions we observed a sharp rise in distress followed by a recovery to baseline distress levels. This study identified substantial increases in distress in the US during the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis that largely diminished in the weeks that followed and suggests that population level resilience in mental health may be occurring in response to the pandemic.