Author: Brazilian Journal Of Psychiatry

The current COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for health care systems worldwide are likely to be longlasting. Since infected patients are susceptible to delirium, it is indispensable to educate health providers about preventing, recognizing, and treating delirium, thus avoiding the suffering and adverse outcomes associated with it. Available in English. Image: @marjanblan. … Read More →

However, we think that some Latin American countries might face particular challenges. As the COVID-19 epidemic advances, our fragile health systems already face a high internal (regional) migration, an increase in measles cases, intense transmission of dengue and recent outbreaks of zika and chikungunya. Unlike temperate zones, the co-circulation of these viruses in tropical countries could affect diagnostic capacity and worsen the epidemiological situation. Available in English. Image: Tim Mossholder. … Read More →

Pandemics and epidemics affect physical health and compromise psychosocial integrity, generally resulting in a high level of psychological suffering and psychosocial maladjustment. People facing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak tend to be more susceptible to alterations in physical (not necessarily related to clinical symptoms), cognitive, behavioral and emotional aspects. Available in English. Image: Andrew Leu. … Read More →

The main findings highlight the negative emotion and stress experienced by healthcare workers who treat infected patients. The main symptoms included de novo complaints of insomnia, anxiety, and feelings of hopeless, as well as the reactivation of previous disorders, such as depression, anxiety and even suicidal behavior. These mental health problems not only affect patients but also medical workers. Available in English. … Read More →

Suicide remains an important public health problem. As health care professionals respond forcefully to an infectious disease pandemic, mental health clinicians should not lose sight of suicide prevention. Available in English. … Read More →

In the current crisis, mental health actions should not be forgotten or postponed. As highlighted by Silva et al., these actions include behavioral measures to facilitate social distance, identifying cognitive mechanisms and decision styles that can increase risk exposure, as well as the mental health care of professionals who deal directly with the consequences of the pandemic. Moreover, care must be prioritized for psychiatric patients, who, due to stress, are at considerable risk of clinical worsening. Available in English. … Read More →

Attention has been focused on the exponential increase in infections, but this phenomenon – and its consequences – are certainly not limited to medical disease. Although the effects of the coronavirus on mental health have not yet been studied systematically, I would like to make a few relevant points about the mental health of the population during the ongoing pandemic. … Read More →

“Is my son at risk in view of COVID-19?” A patient’s mother contacted our Schizophrenia Outpatient Clinic as soon as news about the coronavirus pandemic reached Brazilian headlines. I immediately remembered how we hear in mental health services that “patients with severe mental illness are immune deficient.” But is this true? What are the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for schizophrenia patients and their families? … Read More →

In times of fear and uncertainty, when threats to survival become one of the main issues of daily life, many believe that mental health care can wait and that efforts should focus on preserving life. However, mental health is precisely one of the keys to surviving this pandemic. This editorial lists some topics we believe are particularly worthy of attention and deserve full consideration both by health care workers and by the general population. … Read More →

During pandemics it’s common for health professionals, scientists and managers to focus predominantly on the pathogen and the biological risk in an effort to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms involved and propose measures for preventing, containing and treating the disease. In such situations, the psychological and psychiatric implications secondary to the phenomenon tend to be neglected, generating gaps in coping strategies and increasing the burden of associated diseases. … Read More →