Beyond the physical symptoms associated with COVID-19, the psychological outcomes are vast and, it seems prolonged. It has been now formalized a definition of the long-term mental disorders associated with the pandemic, estimating them "coronaphobia".

The term catches the fear and the emotional and social strain experienced by the general public in response to COVID-19. Obsessive behaviors, distress, avoidance reaction, panic, anxiety, hoarding, paranoia, and depression are some of the responses associated with coronaphobia. On the surface, these appear to be normal, somewhat fitting reactions to this surreal and frightening moment in time.

However, for those experiencing coronaphobia, they are distinctly maladaptive and harmful. The group's experience offers evidence that the anxieties and fears caused by this global pandemic don't flatten alongside the curve but instead linger as chronic problems requiring ongoing care.

It probably is an adjustment disorder. Adjustment disorder is one of the most frequently diagnosed mental health conditions. It is a set of disorders that follow in the wake of a significant stressor, which can vary from serious illness or the death of a loved one to relocating or experiencing work problems. The resulting dysfunction and distress that the person experiences are considered out of proportion in duration or scale with what would normally be expected.

Coronaphobia may be likely to occur in those who feel vulnerable to disease, are predisposed to anxiety, or are intolerant of uncertainty. Preexisting mental health conditions can also be exacerbated by periods of quarantine, self-isolation, and lockdown, which can lead to panic attacks, coronaphobia (fear of passing time), and suicidality.

Persons who had previously undergone quarantines were significantly more likely to experience acute stress disorder, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and depression. Quarantine was found to result in long-term behavioral changes, such as avoiding crowds, among the general public and healthcare practitioners.

Five symptoms — dizziness, sleep disturbances, tonic immobility, appetite loss, and nausea/abdominal distress — are strong factors for distinguishing "coronaphobia" from otherwise normal concerns about COVID-19 that did not result in functional impairment.

Many people may face substantial stress in returning to the normal activities of life.
There is also a concern, "reentry anxiety", that mental health problems caused by the pandemic, the accompanying lockdown, self-isolation, and quarantine practices will prove alarmingly durable. Even after this challenging moment in history draws to a close, many people may face substantial stress in returning to the normal activities of life - social, professional, familial - once taken for granted.

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Adapted from Medscape Drug & Diseases. And the others COVID-19's psychological impact gets a name. Internet. Accessed on October 7, 2020. To view the entire article and the other content of the from Medscape Drug & Diseases site, a free, one time registration is required, Internet. Available at https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/938253. Accessed on October 6, 2020.