ONE in six Covid patients is diagnosed with anxiety after contracting the virus, new research has shown.
The study, published in The Lancet, found a further one-in-seven came down with a mood disorder such as depression.
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Researchers now believe the virus can enter the brain and cause inflammation, which may lead to mental health problems and “brain fog”.
Dr Max Taquet, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “Evidence shows the virus does enter the brain and may cause inflammation to the cells.
“Having Covid can also be very stressful, for instance the need to self-isolate and the loss of jobs and income.
“These findings reflect a range of psychological and biological factors.”
Most of the 236,379 patients studied were not hospitalised with Covid.
A smaller number also suffered from serious brain conditions including strokes (1-in-50), psychosis (1-in-71) and haemorrhages (1-in-167) within six months.
Paul Harrison, professor of psychiatry at Oxford University, said: “We did not look at long-Covid patients, but these findings could overlap with the ‘brain fog’ that many have reported.”
Covid is also known to affect the blood’s clotting abilities, which may affect the functioning of the brain.
Meanwhile, a survey from NerdWallet of 900 UK business managers found more than a third (37 per cent) have sought professional help for their mental health since the start of the pandemic.
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