What to do to Deal with Post-COVID Trauma and Stress Disorders

Some people begin to suffer from post-traumatic stress or post-traumatic stress disorder after any major accident. Whether it is a flood or an earthquake or a rape, an epidemic, a war, or a major accident, the memories of terror come back to their minds. Makes it scary. Can't sleep night after night. Have nightmares. Looks like life is over, and can't turn around anymore.

Family and friends must be by your side. Image: Shutterstock

Those who can return to normal life on their own or with someone's help or psychiatric treatment within a month, their problems are solved. Those who can't, either look for an opportunity to end themselves or live a life of half-madness. Anxiety or stress becomes a complete disorder. Named 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder' or PTSD.

This matter has started even after COVID sat down. All over the world. In Wuhan, China, where one percent of people had PTSD under normal conditions, it has risen to 7 percent since COVID, scientists said. Where the incidence of complex types of COVID was higher, PTSD has also been higher. About 16.4 percent.

Where the incidence was relatively low, it was 5.2 percent. It's not just patients who are on this list. Some have not yet got the disease but are counting the hours in fear of the disease. Health workers were not left out either. In the face of intense pressure, day and night, patients are also mentally ill. According to various studies, about 4.4 percent of doctors and health workers are infected with PTSD.

Why is that?

"Not everyone has the same ability to deal with panic. Some people can easily handle big problems, some people break down with small injuries. That is why it is seen that the problem of anxious people is more. ” Psychiatrist says.

Besides, patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression, those who suffer from loneliness, neurotic personality, that is, those who have little anger, sadness, frustration, anxiety, guilt or fear levels, are more intoxicated, suffer from insomnia. These happen with women the most. Problems increase when more than one major accident happens together.

Problems arise for those who have been carrying the memory of an accident since childhood. Again, those who prefer to avoid rather than solve problems or think that they can handle everything without anyone's help, are also often in danger. This was said by doctor Sanjay Gupta.
Those whose family and friends are friendly, open-minded, dare to face danger, see the good side of everything, can adapt to the situation, have spiritual consciousness, their problems are less.

Viruses and treatments are also a cause of danger

According to various studies, the risk of complex COVID patients is higher. The virus often spreads to the brain. As a result, mood swings, duplicity, ignorance, and inconsistency of thinking remain for some time. Someone is exhausted. The more complex the disease, the greater the danger.

According to a study conducted in the United States, about 40 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients need ICU care. Of those who survived, about 98 percent had posttraumatic stress disorder. The reason for this is the great difficulty of disease and treatment.

The more complex the disease, the greater the danger. Photo: Shutterstock

How complex patients are treated in the ICU, injecting nasal-throat tubes, attaching them to ventilators, etc., is inhumane. Sometimes sleeping pills are given to reduce the pain. According to the study, this also increases the risk of PTSD. However, this is true not only of COVID but also of any complex ICU patient. After spending several days in the ICU, many patients develop posttraumatic stress symptoms, although they do not have the disorder completely.

Social factors are also involved

COVID patients become very lonely. No one comes near them for fear of infection. As a result, they do not get the love and service that the body-mind-stricken patient needs in the outbreak of the disease.

After recovering a little, he or she is accompanied by the extreme uncertainty of life and the fear of being socially isolated. Harassment. According to scientists, this is the reason why many more people were infected with PTSD during the epidemics of SARS, Mars, Ebola, etc. than there are people in COVID.

The solutions

• Beware of COVID. Because once the disease is over, no matter how mild it may be, it has to deal with so much stress that it is a huge stress for a weak-minded person.
• Be careful in advance if you have a risk factor for PTSD. Seek expert advice as soon as the slightest symptoms appear. In most cases, this will not happen by itself. If left unchecked, the situation will become more complicated day by day.
• If you seek the advice of a psychiatrist, he will sometimes give therapy, sometimes give medicine, sometimes both may be needed.
• The main one among the therapies is Cognitive Behavior Therapy. The therapist identifies the mistakes by tearing the person's mind as he sees the situation. He taught me to step by step how to correct those thoughts and think realistically.
• Cognitive processing therapy is done for 12 weeks if required. One-and-a-half hour sessions per week. At first, the patient is asked to reveal the whole incident, the feelings, the reasons for fear. Then asked to write. With the help of the therapist, the patient gradually understands where his problem is and how to proceed.
• In some cases, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy is done. One day a week for three months. The patient is asked to move the therapist's hand, turn on the lights, or pay attention to any particular sound. The purpose of this therapy is to divert the mind from the subject of suffering.
• Stress Inclusive Training teaches how to get rid of stress with the help of massage, breathing, and other relaxation exercises.
• If all this does not work, medicine is given. Sometimes you have to pay early. The cooperation of the people in the house is needed. The patient gradually becomes normal.