First Person Account COVID 19 Delirium in a Doctor: When Death Stalks the Mind
Previous studies reported that 20–30% of COVID-19 patients will develop delirium during the hospitalization, achieving 70% in cases of severe illness. The risks factors and the consequences of delirium are well-documented in the literature; however, little is known about the personal experience of d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.626648/full |
| _version_ | 1818736917170094080 |
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| author | Antonio Arumi Andrea Bulbena-Cabre Andrea Bulbena-Cabre Antonio Bulbena Antonio Bulbena |
| author_facet | Antonio Arumi Andrea Bulbena-Cabre Andrea Bulbena-Cabre Antonio Bulbena Antonio Bulbena |
| author_sort | Antonio Arumi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies reported that 20–30% of COVID-19 patients will develop delirium during the hospitalization, achieving 70% in cases of severe illness. The risks factors and the consequences of delirium are well-documented in the literature; however, little is known about the personal experience of delirium. Delirium burden is common and tends to be distressing even after the delirium episode has resolved. Taking this in mind, the present work provides a first-person account of a doctor who acquired Covid-19 and developed bilateral pneumonia and had delirium and a complicate course of illness. During the course of his delirium, the patient recalled experiences of reality and unreality, complete disorientation, lack of control, strong emotions, and intense fear of dying which was significantly distressing. We anticipate that delirium burden will be common on these patients and family members and clinicians should be aware of this phenomenon in order to evaluate the neuropsychiatric consequences of this condition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T00:44:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e654df0ed8ad4378b0b50c76c6330f94 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T00:44:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-e654df0ed8ad4378b0b50c76c6330f942022-12-21T21:26:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-01-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.626648626648First Person Account COVID 19 Delirium in a Doctor: When Death Stalks the MindAntonio Arumi0Andrea Bulbena-Cabre1Andrea Bulbena-Cabre2Antonio Bulbena3Antonio Bulbena4Instituto Trastornos Alimentacion, Salud Mental, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United StatesMetropolitan Hospital NYC Health and Hospitals, New York, NY, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autonoma Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainInstitute Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, SpainPrevious studies reported that 20–30% of COVID-19 patients will develop delirium during the hospitalization, achieving 70% in cases of severe illness. The risks factors and the consequences of delirium are well-documented in the literature; however, little is known about the personal experience of delirium. Delirium burden is common and tends to be distressing even after the delirium episode has resolved. Taking this in mind, the present work provides a first-person account of a doctor who acquired Covid-19 and developed bilateral pneumonia and had delirium and a complicate course of illness. During the course of his delirium, the patient recalled experiences of reality and unreality, complete disorientation, lack of control, strong emotions, and intense fear of dying which was significantly distressing. We anticipate that delirium burden will be common on these patients and family members and clinicians should be aware of this phenomenon in order to evaluate the neuropsychiatric consequences of this condition.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.626648/fullCOVID 19deliriumfearconfusiondelirium experiencedelirium burden |
| spellingShingle | Antonio Arumi Andrea Bulbena-Cabre Andrea Bulbena-Cabre Antonio Bulbena Antonio Bulbena First Person Account COVID 19 Delirium in a Doctor: When Death Stalks the Mind Frontiers in Psychiatry COVID 19 delirium fear confusion delirium experience delirium burden |
| title | First Person Account COVID 19 Delirium in a Doctor: When Death Stalks the Mind |
| title_full | First Person Account COVID 19 Delirium in a Doctor: When Death Stalks the Mind |
| title_fullStr | First Person Account COVID 19 Delirium in a Doctor: When Death Stalks the Mind |
| title_full_unstemmed | First Person Account COVID 19 Delirium in a Doctor: When Death Stalks the Mind |
| title_short | First Person Account COVID 19 Delirium in a Doctor: When Death Stalks the Mind |
| title_sort | first person account covid 19 delirium in a doctor when death stalks the mind |
| topic | COVID 19 delirium fear confusion delirium experience delirium burden |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.626648/full |
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