Medical workers and patients of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) who have suffered great stress from the ordeal are at risk of dementia later in life, according to a new study.
In the research published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, collected by experts from over 1.7 million people worldwide, it showed that those who underwent great stress can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has now been found directly linked to dementia.
The study also suggested that people with PTSD have a 61 percent chance of suffering from dementia at a later stage in their life.
“It stands to reason some people will go on to develop PTSD, particularly if their recovery is lengthy or their physical health remains impacted,” Tanya Dharamshi, clinical director and counselling psychologist at the Priory Wellbeing Centre in Dubai told The National.
“It can also affect those who have lost a loved one, especially when you consider the circumstances, as they are likely to be isolated from their loved ones at the time of their death,” she added.
Sufferers of PTSD usually experience insomnia, irritability, confusion, anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks, numbness, and detachment from reality.
The psychologist also stressed that people with a previous traumatic experience may find triggers from COVID-19, leading them to experience the stress again.
“Previous sufferers move into a fight-or-flight zone when they re-experience similar emotions such as panic, a lack of control, anxiety and a fear of being hurt or dying.”
The National reported that treatment for PTSD includes cognitive processing therapy, eye movement desensitization reprocessing, stress inoculation therapy, prolonged exposure therapy and medication management. Amid this crisis, the UAE have set up initiatives to support frontline workers, patients, and their families suffering from great stress.
“Witnessing a trauma like a loved one being hospitalized for Covid-19 or even surviving the virus can cause PTSD. In fact, those people who are frontline workers are prone to PTSD as they are experiencing trauma every day,” The National quoted Anil Arora, a psychotherapist in Abu Dhabi as saying.
