Covid will increase mental illness ‘significantly’

A RISE in mental illness is “inevitable” as a result of Covid-19, the new president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned.

In his first interview since taking up his post, Dr Adrian James said there would be “multiple layers” to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, both for people with pre-existing mental health conditions and those who have never suffered before.

He said NHS frontline staff needed support, while those recovering from Covid-19 should be screened for issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

And he warned that waiting lists for treatment would now rise substantially.

“There will be very significant mental illness consequences of

Covid, and we need to be ready,” he said.

Dr James added the pandemic had exacerbated problems for some people with pre-existing conditions, including anxiety and depression, but as the country went into lockdown, fewer had sought help due to fears of catching the virus.

But demand had now begun to rise again, which would stretch services, he said. Dr James said the virus itself appears to affect the nervous system, with reports of psychosis in people with no prior history of the illness, and others suffering a dementia-like syndrome.

Those recovering from Covid-19 therefore face possible multiple mental health issues, he said.

“I think we can be pretty confident that demand will will grow very, very substantially.”