Have you been forgetting things lately? Doctors suggest Covid-19 could be a possible reason
Doctors in Indore are of the opinion that forgetfulness in young days could be an aftermath of Covid-19 and also a symptom of 'post covid psychosis'.
FollowAs you grow old, the issue of forgetfulness starts becoming common by the day, especially when you hit the 60s. But having difficulty in remembering things in your younger days is not a positive sign. Many may consider it to be Alzheimer’s, but it is not what you think it is.
Generally, forgetfulness can be related to ageing, head trauma (or injury), or other conditions or disorders, but new research has found out that forgetting things in old age is deemed normal, but it is not the case with those in the prime of their age.
Forgetfulness in young people may lead to severe disorders such as Amnesia, which may also occur in children. However, in the post-pandemic world, doctors are of the opinion that Covid-19 does not only impact one’s physical health but mental as well. And this has become a major cause of concern.
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But around the world, doctors now are researching new mental health side effects from the virus. Even though the number of patients who reported Covid-19 psychosis is considered to be small in numbers or even rare for that matter, doctors suggest that it does have affected patients.
Dr Subhash Garg, Head of Department Occupational Therapy at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Science, Indore, says that some of the covid-19 contracted patients have been diagnosed with ‘Post Covid Psychosis’. Explaining what the term means, Dr Garg says, “Covid Psychosis is a mental disorder in which patients have an impaired sense of reality. Patients have reported forgetfulness such as keeping a key at a place and then forgetting about it. While these may be smaller things to forget, some patients have also reported severe symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, restlessness and irritation among others.”
But how to tackle the psychosis? To this, Dr Garg says that one must see a doctor immediately, and at the same time, can do activities that help the brain function properly.
“Keeping your brain busy with an activity or an exercise can prove to be beneficial. Solving crossword puzzles, writing with a non-dominant hand and doing single leg balance are some of the exercises that can be considered,” Dr Garg said.
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He also spoke of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) that one can undergo on the basis of a doctor’s suggestion. CBT is a common talk therapy in which thought patterns that affect your emotions are changed in such a manner that it has a positive impact on one’s behaviour”.
The other measures that Dr Garg suggest are of performing Yoga and meditating on a regular basis, as well as having a nutritious diet which includes eating fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and having nuts, legumes, beans and lentils, etc which help in increasing the brain’s prowess.
