SAMHSA Looks to Raise Awareness of Long COVID-Related Mental Health Conditions
- June 23, 2023
Primary care providers should be on the look out for mental health symptoms and conditions of patients with Long COVID and refer them for appropriate treatment, according to a new advisory issued June 21 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
“Long COVID has a range of burdensome physical symptoms, and can take a toll on a person’s mental health. It can be very challenging for a person, whether they are impacted themselves, or they are a caregiver for someone who is affected,” said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in a press release.
The advisory discusses the epidemiology of mental health symptoms and conditions of Long COVID, such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, psychosis, cognitive impairment, obsessive compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and provides evidence-based resources for their assessment and treatment, the release said.