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Volume 19
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Article

Greater Emotional Distress Due to Social Distancing and Greater Symptom Severity during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder: A Multicenter Study in Austria, Germany, and Denmark

by
Elena M. D. Schönthaler
1,
Nina Dalkner
1,*,
Michaela Ratzenhofer
1,
Eva Fleischmann
1,
Frederike T. Fellendorf
1,
Susanne A. Bengesser
1,
Armin Birner
1,
Alexander Maget
1,
Melanie Lenger
1,
Martina Platzer
1,
Robert Queissner
1,
Adelina Tmava-Berisha
1,
Christina Berndt
2,
Julia Martini
2,
Michael Bauer
2,
Jon Dyg Sperling
3,4,
Maj Vinberg
3,4 and
Eva Z. Reininghaus
1
1
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
2
Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
3
Psychiatric Research Unit, Psychiatric Centre North Zealand, 3400 Hillerød, Denmark
4
Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7626; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137626
Submission received: 25 April 2022 / Revised: 18 June 2022 / Accepted: 20 June 2022 / Published: 22 June 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Containment Measures, and Vaccination: From Experimental Data to Practice)
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Abstract

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health of individuals with bipolar disorders (BD) is potentially more vulnerable, especially regarding COVID-19-related regulations and associated symptomatic changes. A multicentric online study was conducted in Austria, Germany, and Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, data from 494 participants were collected (203 individuals with BD, 291 healthy controls (HC)). Participants filled out questionnaires surveying emotional distress due to social distancing, fear of COVID-19, and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 to assess symptom severity at four points of measurement between 2020 and 2021. General linear mixed models were calculated to determine the difference between the groups in these pandemic specific factors. Individuals with BD reported higher distress due to social distancing than HC, independently of measurement times. Fear of COVID-19 did not differ between groups; however, it was elevated in times of higher infection and mortality due to COVID-19. Individuals with BD reported higher psychiatric symptom severity than HC; however, symptom severity decreased throughout the measured time in the pandemic. Overall, individuals with BD experienced more distress due to the COVID-19 situation than HC. A supportive mental health system is thus recommended to ensure enhanced care, especially in times of strict COVID-19-related regulations.
Keywords: bipolar disorder; COVID-19; pandemic; social distancing; anxiety; symptom load bipolar disorder; COVID-19; pandemic; social distancing; anxiety; symptom load

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Schönthaler, E.M.D.; Dalkner, N.; Ratzenhofer, M.; Fleischmann, E.; Fellendorf, F.T.; Bengesser, S.A.; Birner, A.; Maget, A.; Lenger, M.; Platzer, M.; et al. Greater Emotional Distress Due to Social Distancing and Greater Symptom Severity during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder: A Multicenter Study in Austria, Germany, and Denmark. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 7626. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137626

AMA Style

Schönthaler EMD, Dalkner N, Ratzenhofer M, Fleischmann E, Fellendorf FT, Bengesser SA, Birner A, Maget A, Lenger M, Platzer M, et al. Greater Emotional Distress Due to Social Distancing and Greater Symptom Severity during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder: A Multicenter Study in Austria, Germany, and Denmark. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(13):7626. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137626

Chicago/Turabian Style

Schönthaler, Elena M. D., Nina Dalkner, Michaela Ratzenhofer, Eva Fleischmann, Frederike T. Fellendorf, Susanne A. Bengesser, Armin Birner, Alexander Maget, Melanie Lenger, Martina Platzer, and et al. 2022. "Greater Emotional Distress Due to Social Distancing and Greater Symptom Severity during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder: A Multicenter Study in Austria, Germany, and Denmark" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 13: 7626. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137626

APA Style

Schönthaler, E. M. D., Dalkner, N., Ratzenhofer, M., Fleischmann, E., Fellendorf, F. T., Bengesser, S. A., Birner, A., Maget, A., Lenger, M., Platzer, M., Queissner, R., Tmava-Berisha, A., Berndt, C., Martini, J., Bauer, M., Sperling, J. D., Vinberg, M., & Reininghaus, E. Z. (2022). Greater Emotional Distress Due to Social Distancing and Greater Symptom Severity during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder: A Multicenter Study in Austria, Germany, and Denmark. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 7626. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137626

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