Benjamin Williams

To learn more about the overlapping crises of the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic, Psychiatry Advisor interviewed pain specialist Paul J. Christo, MD, MBA, the Director of the Multidisciplinary Pain Fellowship Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

As people around the world face prolonged periods of confinement to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, stress levels may disrupt sleep patterns and worsen overall mental health.

Patients with psychiatric disorders are another population that may be more exposed to COVID-19, and the secondary effects of the pandemic may detract from ongoing treatment, thus worsening overall mental health.

The COVID-19 epidemic has underscored potential gaps in mental health services during emergencies, while also testing the resilience of healthcare workers and medical systems.