PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — COVID-19 and panic attacks — does one lead to the other? It’s a question being looked at closely by psychiatrists and infectious disease experts alike.
The answer is not simple. Certainly, COVID-19 causes shortness of breath, but it’s typically accompanied by symptoms not associated with a panic attack. Many of the symptoms of COVID-19 are respiratory-related, and fever is rarely associated with panic attack.
Here is where it gets more complicated: A panic attack can happen to anyone. There is no doubt that during the pandemic, the lack of interaction with people has been a big problem.
Whether there is a direct cause or not, overall cases of anxiety and depression are on the rise in the past year. It is hard to argue there is not a role.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.