Risks and Consequences of Covid-19 on Mental Health: A Psychopharmacology Update – Sonata Bohen

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Expert Clinician Sonata Bohen, a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and NEI Master Psychopharmacologist, knows well the challenges you are facing in practice right now. You, too, are seeing patients experiencing increasing levels of social isolation, unemployment and financial concerns, domestic abuse and resulting mental health diagnoses, particularly amongst our most vulnerable patient populations.

As the insidious effects of Covid-19 are taking place all across the country, those physical symptoms must be managed, just as well as we are learning how to. As if all of that was not challenging enough, there are more and more Covid-19 patient cases where unanticipated interactions with psychotropic medications are taking place, increased incidence of drug induced delirium and for a long list of reasons, mental health needs, in general, are requiring our very careful attention.

There has not been a time of greater responsibility for patients – in terms of both their critical physical and mental health needs. You must make time to join Sonata as she hits the practical highlights to help guide important decisions you are making for patients during this pandemic. She knows that we are all in this together…

1. Analyze vulnerable populations at greater risk of Covid-19.
2. Assess for medical disorders in people with mental illness that can cause complications with Covid-19.
3. Distinguish the consequences of Covid-19 for increased incidence of suicide, domestic violence and child abuse.
4. Plan how current Covid-19 treatments can have an effect on psychotropic medications.
5. Evaluate the need for medication adjustments considering the organ/system effected by Covid-19.

Vulnerable Populations

• Barriers in access to care
• Increased risks during this pandemic

Increasing Risk through Social Isolation and Unemployment

• Domestic violence
• Suicide
• Child abuse
• Food insecurity
• Substance abuse and the opiate epidemic
• Worsening physical health

Psychopharmacology: Consequences of Covid-19

• Organ and systems impacted 
• Caution in dosing and selection of medications in Covid-19 patients with mental illness
• Increase of drug induced delirium in patients on respirators with Covid-19
• Medications used to treat Covid-19 – and possible interactions with psychotrophic medications

Global Connectedness

• What we can learn from other nations and cultures in this present pandemic
• How we can all come out as better people from this crisis