One of the risk factors for severe sickness from COVID-19 has now been added to the CDC’s ever-expanding list of risk factors: mental health disorders.

The September 2021Trusted Source update was based on the analysis of new and accumulated data.

You should have two initial doses of the COVID-19 vaccination plus a booster shot if you have one or more medical illnesses on the CDC high-risk.

Support from the American Psychological Association (APA) is evident.

It’s consistent with the American Psychological Association’s support and advocacy for a population-based approach to behavioral health,” APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, said in a statement.

According to a CDC spokesman, the agency added mental health problems to its high-risk list because of a “ongoing literature review and the recent publication of two meta-analyses.”

There were 16 research from seven countries included in the first meta-analysis published in July of this year. Mental health difficulties were found to increase the chance of death from COVID-19, with individuals with the most severe mental health issues at the greatest risk.

Another meta-analysis, published in July 2021Trusted Source, found that those with a history of depression were more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19.

According to this research, those with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression may have a larger risk of death from COVID-19 than people with other mental illnesses.

Additional research has shown a link between COVID-19 infection rates in the United States and a person’s history of mental health issues such as depression, stress, and emotional difficulties.

National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about 21.4 percent of American adults will suffer from a mood illness at some point in their lives. Adults between the ages of 18 and 45 are frequently admitted to the hospital for treatment of mood disorders.

Mood disorders have been related to decreased immune system function and increased incidence of illnesses including cardiovascular disease, which is a risk factor for COVID-19.

Predating the pandemic, there had been numerous studies showing that those with mental health issues, particularly those with severe mental illness, were more likely to suffer from poor health outcomes and general well-being,” stated Evans.

People with severe mental illness are more likely than the general population to receive lower-quality physical health treatment, according to a 2010 study.

Neuropsychologist and director of Comprehend the Mind Sanam Hafeez, PhD, noted that “someone who is severely depressed may not sleep sufficiently, eat well, or take optimum care of themselves […] This could put them at greater risk for contracting COVID-19 and battling it.”

COVID-19 may be more likely to occur if a person suffers from mood disorders, according to Evans.

A University of California, San Francisco infectious diseases specialist, Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH, believes that the prevalence of cigarette smoking and substance abuse disorders among people with mood disorders may also have a role.

Stress and sleeplessness, two prevalent comorbidities among mood disorders, may potentially contribute to COVID-19’s severe disease, according to research.

If you suffer from a mental illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you be aware of your surroundings and take measures.

Hafeez noted that those with mental health issues that lay on a spectrum, such as ADHD or an anxiety disorder, may want to consider a booster based on the severity of the symptoms.

“Those who are very anxious have a neurological wiring that puts their body into frequent flight-or-fight scenarios that can wreak havoc on the mind and body,” Hafeez added.

Evans said the APA will continue to argue for the inclusion of other mental health issues as the science suggests, despite the lack of evidence that other mental health conditions are associated with increased prevalence or severity of COVID-19 disease.