Another ugly facet of lingering damage of COVID-19 infection is what the new research shows that more than half of those sickened by this infection report depression.
127 people have died due to suicide while 238 attempted to end life in Kashmir Valley in 16 months till June this year, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said on the basis of a study conducted on Covid-19 Patients here.
People who have been ill with COVID-19 can experience depressive symptoms for many months after their initial illness. The researchers have also found that those with depression were more likely to be young, male and have suffered from severe COVID-19.
Earlier studies had found a connection between depression and the loss of smell and taste among COVID-19 patients. A link has been found between headaches during COVID-19 and a higher risk of depression. However, it’s possible that people with depression were more likely to say they had headaches when they were sick, the study authors have noted.
People with a history of depression and anxiety were also more likely to contract COVID-19 and have a more prolonged recovery from the virus, researchers have found. People with anxiety about their health and depression are more likely to experience anxiety in general, and it may be that depression and anxiety and certain COVID-19 symptoms are bi-directionally related.
The government and public health authorities need to work to encourage people to seek vaccination and also to encourage people to seek medical care if they experience symptoms of depression.
