Abstract
The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on coronavirus patients, health care workers, and the general population is clear. Relatively few studies have, however, considered the impact of the pandemic on those with pre-existing mental health conditions. Therefore, the present study investigates the personal experiences of those with anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder during COVID-19. We conducted a qualitative study utilising Reddit discussion forum posts. We conducted three separate thematic analyses from 130 posts in subreddit forums aimed for people identifying with anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. We identified a number of similar discussion forum themes (e.g., COVID-19 intensifying symptoms and a lack of social support), as well as themes that were unique to each forum type (e.g., hyperawareness and positive experiences during the pandemic). Findings should guide future practice and the support provided to those living with mental distress.
Highlights
Researchers have documented the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on coronavirus patients and health care workers (Tan et al, 2020)
The present study investigated the lived experience of three mental health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic
For anxiety we identified fear of COVID, fear of returning to normality, isolation and lack of social support, and feeling overwhelmed and exhausted
Summary
Researchers have documented the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on coronavirus patients and health care workers (Tan et al, 2020). An increase in mental distress is apparent for the general population. Increased levels of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide have been reported (Gunnell et al, 2020; Rajkumar, 2020; Sahoo et al, 2020). The pandemic is likely to have impacted the general population in various ways, including social isolation, lack of usual community and professional support, financial stressors, and concerns over personal or loved ones’ wellbeing. The pandemic has important consequences for those already experiencing mental distress (Shafran et al, 2020). Few studies have, considered the impact of lockdown and COVID-19 on those with pre-existing mental health conditions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
