FIROZKOH (Pajhwok): A number of people who survived coronavirus in Ghor and Kabul provinces say the virus had a devastating effect on their bodies and minds. Meanwhile, experts confirmed their statements and recommend that such people should see a psychiatrist after their recovery from the virus.
Nilofar, a resident of Karta-i-Naw area of Kabul, told Pajhwok Afghan News that she was infected with coronavirus twice and recovered, but she suffered from mental issues after recovery. “After recovery, I developed melancholia, anger, forgetfulness and psychological distress, which I am very worried about,” she said.
She said she visited a doctor and took medicine for a while and followed the doctor’s advice which somehow helped her, but she was faced with the same issues again after she took all her medicine. Nisar Ahmad, a resident of Pul Badshah area of Kabul, said, “I was infected with the virus a year ago, but the bad effects of the disease are still present in my body, one thing that often hurts me is forgetfulness.”
He says he has not been able to see a psychiatrist due to economic problems, and that is the reason he said his mental health problems have not yet been resolved. Abdul Razzaq Ahmadi, a resident of Ghor province who once infected with the disease, said, “I was bedridden for more than 10 days, I always tried to stay alone, and the equipment I used should not be used by others. The hospital is not a place to stay and be treated, I stayed always home, now I am recovered but still have bad feeling and I fear the disease would get serious or I would be infected again, I tested for many times but I was negative.”
He says that after recovering, he still experiences flu, muscle pain, stress, as well as respiratory problems. Ahmadi, who is now in good health, urges all people to follow the advice of doctors and use masks and gloves, as well as social distance, to save themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19. He added that he still suffered from headache, muscle pain, stress and respiratory issues.
“I still feel pain in my head, arms and legs, I feel shortness of breath and feel that I am still not recovered, people should be careful about their health, avoid crowds and follow the advice of doctors.” Mohammad Azim, another resident of Ghor, who recently recovered from Covid-19, told Pajhwok that he recovered from the virus 15 days ago, but that he was still feeling the effects of the disease.
“When I was infected by the virus, my body was in pain, I had no appetite, all my body was in pain, I was in trouble for 15 days when I was infected by the virus, it weakened my body and was getting emotional very quickly, I could not feel the test of anything,” he said. Dr. Azizuddin Hemmat, head of Afghan Psychological Association, told Pajhwok that he was suffering from mental health problems after he was infected by Covid-19.
He cited depression, anxiety, forgetfulness, and psychological distress as Covid-19 aftershocks, and said that people who recovered from the disease suffered from the same mental issues. He said the infection weakened body’s resistance and left a negative impact on the mental health. He asked people not to be afraid of the virus because the fear itself weakens humans. Hemmat asked those recovering from the disease to see a neurologist or psychologist to prevent mental issues from developing.
Meanwhile, Abdul Ahmad Nouri, a psychologist in Ghor province, says coronavirus had a negative effect on the nervous system of patients who recovered. “When a person is anxious and hears the rumors of the coronavirus, he is more prone to the disease, which causes fear among patients, and most people who are afraid of the disease get infected by the virus who then develop mental issues,” he said.
He said that symptoms found in such patients included excessive anxiety, heart palpitations, tremors in the hands and feet, insomnia, irritability, memory loss and lack of concentration. He said that such patients could be treated with psychotherapy and medication. Both doctors ask patients with mental health issues caused by the virus infection to see a psychiatrist after recovering from the disease.
Abdul Latif Rahimi, Ghor public health director, says that the fear from the virus and re-infection by the virus caused mental health complications in patients and it also cause damages to lungs. He called on all people to take the disease seriously and to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Public Health.
“A number of people who have tested positive and recovered, most of them are still worried, World Health Organization’s statistics show that most of such people get mental health issues and even brain damage, but their number is very low, we can say that 20 percent of patients face with anxiety and mental issues,” he said. So far, 174,075 positive Covid-19 cases have been registered in the country, of which 156,863 patients recovered and 7,617 others have died.
