Mental health experts are seeing recovered COVID-19 patients experiencing PTSD symptoms.
RECOVERED FROMCOVID-19... ARE NOWSUFFERING FROMPOST TRAUMATICSTRESS DISORDER.NBC 26'S KELSEYDICKESON HAS MOREON COVID-19 P-T-S-D...AND HOW IT CAN BEMANAGED."As the numbers begin torise, we're seeing it moreand more."COVID-19 CAN BETRAUMATIC.AND..
AFTER APHYSICAL RECOVERY..THE EMOTIONALWOUNDS CAN BESLOWER TO HEAL..EVEN LEADING TOPOST TRAUMATICSTRESS DISORDER.."So with COVID-19 peoplewho have beenhospitalized or have beenill or had family membersthat have been ill areexperiencing these samesymptoms of avoidinganything having to do withthe illness."SOMEONEEXPERIENCING PTSDHAS FLASHBACKS OFTHE TRAUMATICEVENT.
AVOIDSMEMORIES ORTRIGGERS.HASOVERWHELMINGFEELINGS OFSADNESS.FEARANGER.ANDISOLATION...THINGS SOMEFORMER COVIDPATIENTS ARE NOWBATTLING."It's very traumatic, youknow, they're dealing witha lot of health issues andnear-death experiencesBUT THERE ARE WAYSTO HELP..."ONE COPINGMECHANISM EXPERTSRECOMMEND IS THESQUARE BREATHINGTECHNIQUE, WHEREYOU BREATHE IN FORFOUR SECONDS,HOLD FOR FOURSECONDS, ANDBREATHE OUT FORFOR SECONDS, ANDHOLD FOR ANOTHERFOUR SECONDS, ALLTO CLEAR YOUR MINDAND HELP KEEP YOUGROUNDED."ANOTHER SKILL TOHELP GET THROUGH ATOUGH SITUATION ISFOCUSING ON YOURFIVE SENSES TOBRING YOU BACK TOTHE PRESENT.IF YOU OR SOMEONEYOU KNOW ISEXPERIENCINGCOVID-19 RELATEDPTSD SYMPTOMS."They need to be able toreach out.
They need tocall family, friends.
Theyneed to probably get in tosee a therapist."CARMODY SAYSPEOPLE SHOULDN'TWAIT TO SEEK HELP.KELSEY DICKESON,NBC26.EXPERTS SAYJOURNALING,MEDITIATION ANDREDIRECTINGNEGATIVE THOUGHTSCAN ALSO HELP.SO CAN TALKING TOA PROFESSIONAL.FAMILY SERVICES OFNORTHEASTWISCONSIN, NEWMENTAL HEALTHCONNECTION, ANDTHE NATIONALALLIANCE ON MENTALILLNESS ARE ALLRESOURCES THATCAN HELP CONNECTYOU TO A MENTALHEALTHPROFESSIONAL.NOW..
TO THEANOTHER CHALLENGE
COVID-19 already has been linked to an assortment of alarming long-term physical health effects.
Now a new study illuminates..