Due to the large life and routine changes caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic,  substance use issues are arising and increasingly relevant public health problems that needs to be addressed.

Substance Use Issues Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 patients have reported mental fatigue and loss of concentration.  Severe cognitive impairment is reported by people with secondary illnesses.  Encephalopathy (damage to brain) is observed after extubation.  This could be because of sedation or mechanical ventilation.  Damage to the brain can occur from bacteria during ventilation. 
 



Cognitive impacts of COVID-19

Many reports show that most patients can return to their roles and recover fully but some survivors will have lasting disability.  Sedation affects recall which is why those patients won't necessarily have a long lasting trauma but patients who are conscious may experience anxiety especially when they are physically disabled or dependent due to the virus.  Risk of depression increases when the patients are separated from their families for a prolonged period of time.  Loss of independence is experience and many have to go through outpatient psychotherapy.

Long-term prognosis and psychological impacts

The impact the pandemic has on the psychological state of the people is something many psychologists are interested to investigate, and as such, new measurements specific to the pandemic is needed

Creating New Measurements for Psychology during COVID-19 Pandemic

- Children

- Domestic caregivers

- Old age

- Marginalized community

- General public

- People who have or had COVID-19

- People with pre-existing mental health disorders

- Health-care workers

Psychological Effects of COVID-19 on different sections of society

- Mental Disorders
- Mental Health and psychological distress
- Mental Health Care
- Mental Health Consequences and physical distancing
- Mental Health Risk Factors
- Students mental health

Mental health focuses (COVID-19)

- Accurate dissemination of health and related information to the public
- Addition of psychologists and psychiatrists to the COVID-19 task force
- Have HCPs take a bigger role in mental health care of patients
- Identification of high-risk groups (psychologically)
- Improved screening of psychiatric morbidities
- Integration of hospital and community resources
- Psycho-education (preventative)
- Psychological interventions and psychosocial support
- Psychological support for frontline workers



Strategies to Combat Psychological Impact of COVID-19

- COVID-19 pandemic causes: disruptions of daily routines, anxiety of the pandemic, lack of physical activity, absence of outside social outlets, lack of access to unperson therapy, and reduced physical contact (e.g. hugging..)
- All may contribute to romantic relationship conflict 
- Previous study showed married couple experienced greater negative impact on mental well-being than unmarried couple during the pandemic 
- Psychological stress impact sexual desire and sexual function; sexual desire and orgasm are known to be supported by a lower-stress environment 
- Life-threatening event and Intense financial stress and economic hardship may lead to relationship conflict


Romantic Relationship Conflict Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Background stress and Changes in Intimate and Sexual Behaviors 


- Psychosocial impact on general public
- Psychosocial impact on healthcare workers
- Psychosocial burden of quarantine and isolation

Psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on different levels

- Cognitive Impacts
- Creating New Measurements
- Long-term prognosis and psychological impacts
- Mental Health focuses
- Psychosocial impact 
- Strategies to combat the psychological impact of COVID-19
- Substance use issues
- Relationship conflict and sexual behavior

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