How COVID and mental health issues are linked

About 5.5 percent of adults in the United States had a serious mental illness in 2021, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. These issues may place them at higher risk for severe COVID or related complications. People with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders who become infected with COVID are more likely to become severely ill and need to be hospitalized.

Those with serious mental illness are also more at risk of having symptoms associated with long COVID, and even of dying from a severe COVID infection, than people without serious mental illness.

How mental illness increases risk of severe COVID

There is a tapestry of potential reasons why COVID is more likely to be severe in people with serious mental illnesses.

First, people with these conditions are more likely to have other underlying health conditions that increase their risk for severe COVID. For example, people with bipolar disorder are at a higher risk for a range of chronic conditions, including heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, and diabetes, according to a 2023 systematic review published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Steps you can take to protect your well-being

If you have a serious mental illness, the most important step you can take to protect yourself from severe COVID is to stay up to date with COVID vaccinations. Being immunized helps lower the risk of severe illness.

However, it’s also important to note that vaccinated people with serious mental illnesses are still at a higher risk than vaccinated people who don’t have serious mental illness.

Because of this, if you do have a serious mental illness, it’s important to take additional preventive steps to protect yourself from COVID. This includes:

• Following your treatment program
• Maintaining a healthy diet
• Getting regular exercise
• Wearing a well-fitting mask around anyone known or suspected to be infected
• Practicing good hand hygiene