Covid stress is a new epidemic on the horizon

Do you have pandemic PTSD? The NHS fears hundreds of thousands could be at risk due to the anxieties they’ve faced in jobs,

MORE than 200,000 people in the UK could have post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many because of the pandemic.

NHS estimates suggest there will be hundreds of thousands of new cases as a result of Covid.

The anxiety disorder is normally associated with war veterans but it can affect anyone exposed to a traumatic event.

There is particular concern for frontline healthcare staff and some patients who were hospitalised with severe symptoms.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists say estimates by the NHS Strategy Unit suggest there could be more than 230,000 new referrals for PTSD between 2020-21 and 2022-23.

What are the symptoms?

Dr Alison McClymont, a psychologist specialising in mental health, says: “Symptoms will focus around avoiding connecting with the memory that was traumatic.

“This might present itself as hyper-vigilance [a feeling of being on edge], increased irritability, panic or, in extreme cases, dissociation [a feeling of being ‘outside of your body’].

“This might produce intrusive thoughts or images where the body is trying to force the brain to process the memory and place it in the long-term memory store, rather than triggering the fight or flight mechanism where the body believes it ‘is still happening’.”

Dr Rhianna McClymont, pictured right, a GP at digital healthcare provider Livi (livi.co.uk), added: “Many people with PTSD push memories away, avoiding people and places connected to them and refusing to talk about what happened.

“This can make them feel emotionally numb and withdrawn. You’re likely to relive the experiences of the event through nightmares and flashbacks.”

There are often physical symptoms too, she says, such as headaches, dizziness, chest pains and stomach aches.

Dr Rhianna McClymont added: “Symptoms usually develop within a month, but sometimes can develop several months, or even years, later.”

Why is it happening as a result of the pandemic?

Many people experienced – and are still experiencing – feeling a loss of control, social isolation and a significant financial impact, and all of these things can cause PTSD at their most extreme.

If someone close to you has died as a result of Covid or you’ve been very ill and hospitalised yourself, your risk factor goes up further.

What about frontline staff?

For many healthcare workers, the impact of the crisis has been monumental.

Dr Alison McClymont said: “Witnessing people dying and being helpless due to lack of resources or support to help them is one of the most traumatic things a person could experience.

“Feelings of helplessness in response to trauma have been shown to have a monumentally significant effect in whether or not PTSD will later develop.

“The emotional memory of being stuck and without control is one of the precursors to PTSD.”

What help is available?

It’s important to recognise the symptoms early, says Niels Eek, psychologist and co-founder of mental wellbeing app Remente.

He said: “No matter how small or insignificant they may feel, I would always recommend the first step is to talk with a loved one or someone close about what you are feeling or experiencing.

“Your GP is trained to recognise and treat mental health, too. PTSD is treatable and the earlier the prognosis, the better the outcome.”

Left untreated, PTSD can cause depression, anxiety or phobias.

Dr Rhianna McClymont said: “It’s not unusual for people with PTSD to misuse drugs and alcohol, and to consider self-harming, or have suicidal feelings.” There are effective, specialist treatments available. Dr McClymont added: “Psychological therapies are an important part of treatment for PTSD, and

options include counselling and CBT.” It can often be helpful to talk about experiences in a group situation and charities run local PTSD support groups.

Dr McClymont said: “Therapy can include trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy. It treats PTSD by helping people confront traumatic memories and come to terms with events that took place.

“Another is eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing – it can reduce PTSD symptoms by changing the negative way people think about a traumatic event.”

Occasionally, medication such as antidepressants can be used for severe PTSD symptoms.