COVID19 outbreak had affected physical and mental health of individuals. Different adverse health behaviors had worsened and eating disorders had evolved. Health care workers were not spared.

To screen binge eating disorder among health care workers of regional hospital of Gabes (south of Tunisia) and its associated factors.

We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study, from April 19, 2020, to May 5, 2020 on 289 in Gabes regional Hospital. All healthcare workers were included (n=620). Workers who were on sick leave during the study were excluded. During this period, the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 exceeded 900 cases in Tunisia and around 20 cases in Gabes. We used a self-administered anonymous questionnaire containing sociodemographic and clinical data. DSM-5 diagnostic criteria were used to assess Binge-Eating Disorder.

Of the 289 responding participants, 85 were physicians (29%), 166 nurses (57.4%), 8 ambulance drivers (2.8%) and 30 health-related administrators (10.3%). A total of 100 participants (34.6%) were frontline health care workers directly engaged in diagnosing, treating or caring for patients with coronavirus disease. Nine percent of participants experienced binge eating disorder during the outbreak. Binge eating disorders were associated to past psychiatric history of eating disorder (p=0.001), social isolation (p=0.001), increased consumption of tea and coffee (p=0.02) and the fact of being a frontline care giver (p=0.009).

Binge eating disorders are usually associated with health problems: obesity and consequently severe form of coronavirus disease. Screening those disorders is important to alleviate its physical impact.

In the assessment of suicidal behavior, recent studies describe the great influence of an environmental component with adverse life events and stressors that can influence self-harm ideation and gesture.

1. To analyze the reasons for consultation of adolescents between 11 and 17 years of age who consult for suicidal behavior. 2. To estimate the frequency of the different socio-family life events.

A retrospective review of the emergency room visits in the last 3 months was carried out. Sociodemographic data, vital events, reason for consultation and evolution are collected in the following 30 days after consultation in the emergency room.

Data were collected from 16 adolescents who consulted in the emergency room for suicidal ideation / gesture in a period of 3 months, of which 43% (7) were women and 56% (9) were men between 11 and 18 years old. The reasons recorded as stressful life events were: 22% unstructured family environment, 10% death of a close relative, 43% little parental supervision, 26% end of a romantic relationship, 5% legal problems, 2% sexual or physical abuse, 70 % academic problems, 3% bullying. It was observed that in 63% of the cases they presented more than one adverse experience.

Suicidal ideation and behavior are frequently preceded by different adverse life events that can be minimized or go unnoticed and undervalued. A meticulous medical history can clarify some of the reasons that influence the hopelessness and clinical anguish that the suicidal patient presents. Its early detection provides the opportunity for an early and specialized approach.

No significant relationships.

The Covid-19 Pandemia is not a turning point for e-health It might seem meaningful that this e-health approach will also continue in mental health care after the Covid-19, given the obvious pragmatic advantages. But several issues could at least delimitate a future use of e-health technology in psychiatry/psychotherapy: Patient with severe depression and suicidality seem not to be the right target group Same with other serious mental disorders First contact patients (depending among others on their personality characteristics), often have problems to open themselves at phone or video contacts In Germany (and probably other European countries?) a relative high percentage of psychiatrists/psychotherapists are reluctant or at least ambivalent against video based interventions A quite high percentage of psychiatrists/psychotherapists in Germany believe that a relevant proportion of their patients might not accept this very technical approach of doctor-patient-interaction. Currently in Germany, probably also in some other European countries, complain that some legal and billing issues are not fully solved. Some of these problems could decrease in the future and insofar it is difficult to make a valid prediction of the place of e-health technology in psychiatry/psychotherapy. Beside this one point seems of great importance to me: the current e-health success, driven by the Covid-19 Pandemia, should not be the direction of more cost saving psychiatry/psychotherapy, generally neglecting the need for personal interaction between patients and therapists.

No significant relationships.

In the late XIXth century Kraepelin described a new nosologic division for the psycothic disorders – Paranoia and Dementia Praecox. He emphasized that dementia praecox is a central nervous system disease, involving permanent lesions on cerebral cortex. Besides biological deterioration, it appears as the result of psychic degenerative process. From the mid-20th century onward, antipsychotic drugs had been robustly generalized, and in parallel to the current classifications, residual symptoms in schizophrenia tend to be rare but still prevail in our patients.

The aim of our work is to report a clinical case of residual schizophrenia in parallel with the classic classification of Dementia Praecox and also do an overview of this disorder and its historical perspective.

We conducted clinical interviews with the patient and family members, reviewed clinical records and conducted a query in the MEDLINE database using the terms " Dementia Praecox ", “Psychosis”, “Paranoia”, “Kraepelin”, “History”.

We present the clinical case of a 74-year-old man with onset of psychotic symptoms on his twenties and diagnosed with Schizophrenia. In the past years, after acute psychotic episodes it was increasingly difficult to return to prior levels of functioning. Currently, he was brought to psychiatric emergency ward presenting bizarre behavior, stereotyped movements and speech disturbances, which reveal disorganized thinking and inability to express his emotions.

Although these syndromes are nowadays relatively rare, it is important to keep them in mind, in order to understand the natural progression of psychotic diseases, improve their rehabilitative treatment and prognosis.

No significant relationships.

The year 2020 was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic that killed more than one million people. Scientists around the world are looking for prophylactic treatment against this virus.

The objective of our study was to assess the acceptability of prophylactic treatment against COVID-19 by paramedics.

Descriptive and cross-sectional study including paramedics (nurses, orderlies) from the military hospital of Tunis. Data collection was carried out by a clinical psychologist. We studied the acceptability of prophylactic treatment by paramedics, reasons for refusal and factors that may affect this choice.

A total of 161 paramedics agreed to answer our questionnaire. The average age was 37.73 years. The average number of years worked was 14.95 years. There were 85 women (52.8%) and 76 men (47.2%). Only 59 (36.6%) agreed to take prophylactic treatment for COVID-19. The main reason for refusal was fear of side effects 57 (34.7%). Sufficient hindsight was the main factor that could make them change their decisions. This refusal was definitive for 55 (34.2%) paramedics.

Fear of drug side effects exceeds the fear of COVID.19. An information and communication strategy on the value of prophylactic treatments during a pandemic must be developed.

Assessing mentalizing abilities is a complex issue. Only recently an instrument assessing mentalizing capacity as a whole, the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ), has been developed.

To reach the purpose of our study, we investigated the psychometric proprieties of the Italian version of the RFQ.

The study was conducted on a sample including a group of violent offenders and a group of community participants. All subjects fulfilled the RFQ, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) and the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ).

The theoretical model was defined and analysed by using Partial Least Squares–Path Modelling with high-order construct definition. Data showed good psychometric proprieties of the Italian version of the RFQ. Also, specific patterns of correlations were identified between the RFQ subscales and both PID-5 and AQ scores. Offenders significantly differed from controls only in relation to one subscale of the RFQ.

Data supported the factorial structure of the RFQ found in the original validation study. Results also support the existence of a second-order variable, mentalizing, resulting from the convergence of hypomentalizing and hypermentalizing.

Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) frequently experience residual symptoms, problems in psychosocial functioning, cognitive impairment, and poor quality of life (QOL).

* To evaluate the QOL of euthymic patients with BD compared to healthy controls (HC). * To identify factors associated with its deterioration.

This is a comparative and analytical study, conducted over 3 months, involving 30 euthymic patients with BD, followed up in the outpatient psychiatry department of Hedi Chaker University Hospital in Sfax (Tunisia). They were compared to 34 HC. General, clinical and therapeutic data were collected using a pre-established questionnaire. QOL was assessed with the «36 item Short-Form Health Survey» (SF-36).

The mean ages of BD patients and HC were 44.17 years and 40.1 years, respectively. Compared with HC, patients with BD had decreased overall SF-36 scores (53.73 vs 73.78; p=0.000) and decreased physical and psychological subdomain scores (p=0.001; p=0.000). The study of the relationship between the dimensional average scores and different variables revealed correlations between; physical health problems and somatic disease (p=0.021) and unemployment (p=0.001), impaired general health and somatic disease (p=0.02) and psychotropic association (p=0.021), emotional health problems and psychiatric family history (p=0.023), pain and psychotropic association (p=0.031), and impaired global QOL and psychiatric family history (p=0.05).

Our results confirm the impairment of the QOL of patients with BD even in euthymic periods. Many factors have been associated, including demographic and clinical variables. The improvement of QOL is to consider these factors in the management of these patients.

Polycystic ovary syndrome(Pcos) disease significantly decreased quality of life for women. Mental health is one of the components affecting the quality of life of these patients that attention to it is necessary to improve their quality of life.

The present study was conducted to determine The effect of Motivational Interview Based on WhatsApp on the Psychological Domains of Quality of Life in Infertile Women with PCOS.

This randomized controlled clinical trial enrolled 60 Infertile Women with PCOS from the city of Sari-Iran in 2020. Participants were assigned to MI and control groups using block randomization. The intervention group received 5 weekly of MI online via WhatsApp. While the control group received only routine care. The psychological Domains score of quality of life in these individuals was measured using the quality of life questionnaire of polycystic ovary syndrome(MPCOSQ) before and after the intervention. Then, the data were entered into the SPSS software, version 25 and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, t-test, and repeated measures analysis of variance.

No significant difference was observed between the two groups before the intervention mean The Psychological Domains scores (p>0.05). After the intervention, mean (SD) of The Psychological Domains score was 34.8 (11.8) in the intervention group and 30.7 (11.6) in the control.No significant Increasing in the mean between the two groups. The effect size(0.35) was calculated.

The results of the study showed that motivational interviewing is effective in improving the quality of life of women with pcos.

No significant relationships.

Psychosocial rehabilitation is a challenge in a society with demands unsuitable for those with severe mental illness (SMI). The Mental Health Department of Matosinhos Local Health Unity (MHD-MLHU) has developed a solidarity project aiming to evaluate and elaborate individualized rehabilitative responses with people with SMI, including people from the community motivated for solidarity initiatives.

To describe a psychosocial rehabilitation project focused on community integration of people with SMI, considering needs and resources of the population, and to present the individualized rehabilitation plans carried out for people with SMI.

In January 2019, we began the home evaluation of people with SMI monitored in the MHD-MLHU. To develop solidary based play-occupational groups, we interviewed people from the community and from the common mental pathology outpatient clinic willing to participate.

We present the description and evaluation of the psychosocial responses developed by the project. These responses include recreational-occupational groups, tailored to interests of each person with SMI, and using the community support group built for the purpose. These responses promote face-to-face activities, and enhance the destigmatization of SMI. The constraints resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic led to the creation of digital responses aimed at people with SMI and the community in general.

This experience has revealed the great potential of rehabilitating the community context of people with SMI, rather than just contemplating pre-existing structured responses. The pandemic created specific challenges but made the initiative even more relevant for SMI people and for promoting the mental health of the general population.

Several studies have mentioned the link between psychotrauma and psychosis. A direct causal link remains to be discussed.

Evaluate the link between sexual abuse and psychosis.

We report the case of a male patient who developed schizophrenia following sodomy rape. We performed a literature review based on a PubMed search with the following keywords: “rape sodomy psychosis”.

Mr. M., 26 years old, with a personal psychiatric history of chronic psychosis evolving for 10 years, consulted us for follow-up of his schizophrenia. When he was 16, the patient was raped by sodomy by a 40-year-old man under stabbing threat. After this incident, the patient did not verbalize this trauma, he isolated himself, became irritable and aggressive and has had olfactory hallucinations. The symptomatology worsened until the age of 24 when the patient presented a delusional syndrome with a theme of persecution, mysticism, bewitchment by a mechanism of interpretation and visual hallucinations. Then,he was hospitalized in psychiatry for psychomotor instability, verbal hetero-aggression. He had been diagnosed with schizophrenia evolving over 9 years. Treatment with an antipsychotic: risperidone and valproic acid was started. The evolution was quickly favorable but the patient currently presents blunted affect, a sexual disinterest and a strong desire for revenge from his rapist. Treatment adjustment and psychotherapy would be considered.

The onset of subsequent rape psychosis and the persistence of symptoms related to the trauma are arguments in favor of a direct causal link between sexual abuse and schizophrenia.

No significant relationships.

Lyme disease (LD) is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) and has been reported to be associated with various psychiatric presentations.

To report a case with LD and to highlight the importance of differential diagnosis in a first psychotic episode.

Case report and non-systematic review of the literature.

A woman aged 31 was admitted to the psychiatric department, after a car accident with a mortal victim, due to a first psychotic episode with visual hallucinations, disorientation in time and space, persecutory and grandiosity delusions. She had a personal psychiatric history of obsessive-compulsive disorder and no previous admission to an inpatient Unit. On psychotropic drugs the condition failed to improve, and subsequently neurological symptoms developed. EEG abnormalities prompted a lumbar puncture. In the CSF a strong plasma cell reaction with atypical cells was observed. The enzyme immunoassay for Borrelia burgdorferi was positive and after treatment with penicillin the psychiatric and neurological signs and symptoms remitted. Screening assessment followed by a thorough history, comprehensive psychiatric clinical exam, review of systems, mental status exam, neurological exam and physical exam relevant to the patient’s complaints and findings with clinical judgment, pattern recognition and knowledgeable interpretation of laboratory findings facilitates diagnosis. Psychotropics and antibiotics may help improve functioning and prevent further disease progression.

LD is relatively rare, but awareness of the association between LD and neuropsychiatric presentations can improve understanding of the causes of mental illness and result in more effective prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

No significant relationships.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) represents a severe mental disorder associated with cardiovascular complications leading to morbidity and mortality. Abnormal functioning of autonomic nervous system, particularly sympathetic nervous system, plays a crucial role in AN-linked psychopathology and cardiovascular diseases; however, the pathomechanisms are still unclear.

Thus, we studied sympathetic arousal in response to mental stress using conventional parameters, and for the first time by spectral analysis of electrodermal activity with aim to detect non-invasive biomarkers for cardiovascular risk assessment already in adolescent AN patients.

Twenty-five AN girls were examined (14.8±0.4 yr.) and age/gender matched controls (15.1±0.3 years). Electrodermal activity (EDA) was continuously recorded at rest (5 min.) and in response to Go/NoGo test (5 min.). Evaluated parameters: skin conductance level (SCL) and spectral parameter of EDA in the sympathetic frequency band (EDASymp). EDA reactivity was calculated as percentual change (%) of SCL and EDASymp in response to stressor.

The AN group had significantly reduced SCL and EDASymp compared to controls during baseline (p=0.041, p=0.0001, respectively) and in response to Go/NoGo test (p=0.043, p=0.017, respectively). The EDASymp index reactivity was significantly lower in AN group compared to control (p=0.034).

Our study revealed resting sympathetic underactivity associated with lower reactivity to mental stressor indexed by EDA parameters in adolescent AN patients. This altered pattern of sympathetic arousal could play important role as a pathomechanism leading to cardiovascular complications in AN. It seems that EDA indices represent potential non-invasive biomarkers to detect AN-linked cardiovascular risk already at adolescent age.

This study was funded by the Slovak Scientific Grant Agency under grants VEGA 1/0044/18 and VEGA 1/0190/20 and Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic under the project registration number 2018/20-UKMT-16.

Behavioral dysregulation is a common presentation of children in the Emergency-Room (ER)1. A 10-year-old African-American boy with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder with poor treatment adherence, two previous psychiatric hospitalizations and multiple ER visits, presented with dysregulation and aggressive behavior. He had inconsistent parenting and poor attachment with present involvement of child protective services. We did a systematic review to interpret associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the development of behavioral dysregulation in later life.

To see associations between ACEs and the development of behavioral dysregulation in later life.

We searched PsycINFO, APA PsycNet, PubMed, and Medline. Among 35 articles, five were included: 1) a meta-analysis of health consequences and ACEs1; 2) a data analysis of 64,329 youth from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice that focused on suicide attempts and ACEs2; 3) a systematic review of 42 articles related to ACEs 3; 4) data from 22,575 youth for childhood abuse, trauma and neglect 4 and 5) a multimodal logistic regression study on 64,000 juvenile offenders focused on ACE scores and latent trajectory.5

There is increased risk of substance use, mental and physical health problems, and violence associated with ACEs1, 2. The relationship between childhood difficulties and suicide is interceded by adolescent’s maladaptive behaviors3. By age 35, ACEs increase the risk of becoming a serious juvenile offender4. Increased exposure to ACEs differentiates early-onset and sustained criminality from other forms of criminality5.

ACEs can affect the development of a child in multiple ways including suicidal behavior, aggression, impulsivity, criminality, academic difficulties and substance abuse

Intracortical interactions reflected in EEG coherence (Coh) play an important role in the control of behavior in both norm and mental disorders. EEG Coh in depression is less than in the norm. Non-suicidal self-injuries (NSSI) are widespread in adolescents and represent a significant risk factor for consequent suicidal attempts (SA).

The aim of the study was to identify the differences in EEG coherence between depressive female adolescents who have NSSI or NSSI and SA in their history compared with healthy controls.

75 depressive female adolescents (16–25 years old) were enrolled in the study and divided into two subgroups: NSSI (n=38) and NSSI+SA (n=37). The control group included 20 healthy subjects (HC) matched by age and gender. Baseline EEG was recorded, and EEG coherence was analyzed in 8 narrow frequency sub-bands.

In the NSSI subgroup, the number of “high coherent connections” (pairs of EEG leads with Coh>0.80) was the lowest in comparison with the NSSI+SA subgroup (intermediate values) and HC (the highest values) in theta-1 (4-6 Hz), theta-2 (6-8 Hz), alpha-1 (8-9 Hz) and alpha-2 (9-11 Hz) EEG frequency sub-bands, especially in frontal-central-parietal regions.

The lowest EEG coherence in the NSSI subgroup suggests that this subgroup is “more depressive” than the NSSI+SA subgroup, while the NSSI+SA subgroup is “more normal” but has increased suicidal risk. The results obtained suggested the use of EEG Coh data to clarify the degree of suicidal risk in depressive adolescents with different types of auto-aggressive behavior. The study supported by RBRF grant No.20-013-00129а.

No significant relationships.

Adaptive thinking demands a balance between manifestations of intrapsychic activity and reliance on requirements of the outer reality. Features of responses to Rorschach’s III card could provide information about subject’s ability to preserve the dialectical tension between the two poles of external and internal realities during solving tasks related to interpersonal relationships.

To compare reality-fantasy relations during Rorschach’s III card responding in patients with schizophrenia, neurocognitive impairment and normal subjects.

Participants were 12 young adult inpatients with schizophrenia, 14 students without mental disorders and 12 inpatients with neurodegenerative diseases of old age. Reality-Fantasy Scale (RFS) was applied to assess responses to Rorschach’s III card. RFS scale ranges from –5 (reality collapse into fantasy) to 5 (fantasy collapse into reality) (Tibon-Czopp et al., 2015).

Patients with schizophrenia (M= –3,38, SD= 1,9) demonstrated tendency to fantasy domination (and reality collapse) if compared with the students (M= –1,47, SD= 2,0, p<0,05). Patients with neurodegenerative diseases (M= 0,75, SD= 2,1), conversely, had difficulties to apply fantasy during solving Rorschach task (p<0,01).

Express Rorschach testing using III card could be useful to provide screening data of thinking tendencies related to situations of social interaction. Also it provides a mental pabulum regarding role of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia in relation to significance of affective dependence of their thinking process.

The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number 20-013-00772

No significant relationships.

Spousal abuse (SA) against women, by its frequency and its consequences on the health of the victims, is a public health issue. For this reason, the role of the physician is essential not only in the care of victims but also in the screening of psychological repercussions.

To study the risk factors associated with the development of post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) in women victims of spousal abuse(SA).

Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted at the National Health Fund of Sfax(CNSS)on 110 women who consulted during the months of October and November2019.The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the consultants were collected using a pre established form.We used a 10-item scale,the “Women’s Experience with Battering Scale” (WEBS),to screen women for SA.PTSD was assessed using a PCLS scale(17 items).

(SA)was estimated at 57.3% in our population.The average WEBS score among abused women was 30.92.The prevalence of PTSD in abused women was 63.5% and the average PCLS score was 48.8.The somatic(p=0.049)and psychiatric(p=0.005)histories in the women who had experienced(SA) were related to the development of PTSD.The PCLS score was significantly associated with the WEBS score(p<.0001 and r=.76).The type of violence experienced (physical, psychological, sexual and material) was correlated with the development of PTSD;(p were respectively: <.0001; <.001; 0.02; <.0001).Similarly, repeated violence was strongly related to it(p<0.001).

It seems clear that the(SA)experienced by the women had a psychological impact through the development of PTSD.In addition,several other risk factors inherent to women can be incriminated in this disorder for which systematic screening remains a necessity in order to allow an apdate care.

No significant relationships.

Age-related features of alcohol addiction in elderly women (AAEW) have not been studied properly. The WHO classifies 60-75 years as elderly age (‘early old age’), when morphological and physiological functions of all organs and systems fade away, causing severe post-intoxication and withdrawal disorders, giving organic tint to alcohol dependence clinical picture, and rapid onset of alcoholic mental degradation of personality.

To study specific clinical, diagnostic and pathophysiological basis of alcohol dependence in aged women for innovative approaches to AAEW treatment.

Clinical and medical history questioning, international tests and scales to identify alcohol dependence and complications in elderly women. Follow-up monitoring of basic biochemical, clinical, laboratory and electrophysiological findings at treatment runtime.

Multifactorial study and specific gender features in AAEW development allowed to identify abundant dual comorbidity, prevalence, high degree of affective disorders (depression, anxiety, dysphoria) combined with various somatic conditions and diencephalic symptoms in this alcoholic disease pattern. New treatment modality for alcohol dependence in elderly women was proposed and tested; along with classical detoxification and symptomatic therapy, the patients received anxiolytic agent (serotonin receptor stimulator) Buspirone SANDOZ, 5 mg 3 times a day, followed by individually corrected effective dose. The drug stopped anxiety, balanced the mood, causing no addiction. Buspirone was combined with bromine and sodium sulfate transcerebral electrophoresis № 5 and selective psychotherapy.

The proposed integrated therapy for AAEW was proven to be effective by statistical reliability and patient-specific clinical illustrations.

Today, approximately one fifth of employees in the European Union works in the shift system. Insomnia is one of the most common consequences of occupational stress and shift work. Identifying factors contributing to poor sleep quality among shift workers, especially in healthcare professions, is important because insomnia increases the risks for numerous health disorders and impacts work ability.

The aim of this research was to investigate to what extend does an inability to withdraw from work influences the link between occupational stress and insomnia among shift workers. We operationalized occupational stress within the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model (ERI). An imbalance between individual effort and reward obtained at work leads to experiencing a stressful work environment.

153 shift working female nurses completed a short questionnaire about work schedule, the Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire with the Overcommitment (OC) scale and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). To estimate the mediating effect of OC on the association between ERI and ISI, we conducted a mediation analysis using PROCESS v3.4 macro in SPSS.

The model including ERI and OC accounted for 12.25% of the variance in ISI scores. ERI significantly predicted OC and OC significantly predicted insomnia. The direct effects of ERI on ISI remained significant after controlling for the effects of overcommitment. 35.07% of the effect of ERI on ISI was through OC.

Ability to detach from work-related thoughts during leisure time is crucial for successful recovery from occupational stress. The research is supported by a grant no. 2019/33/N/HS6/02572 from the National Science Center in Poland.

No significant relationships.

The rapid spread of the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic among the world poses challenges to the management of both physical and mental health. This unexpected situation could predict an exacerbation of anxiety, depressions, obsessions, and even multiple cases of psychosis.

The aim of this literature review is to identify and analyze studies conducted in 2020 that investigate the incidence of psychotic disorders, related to COVID-19 pandemic and describe its symptoms.

A systematic search in the PubMed electronic database was performed using keywords “COVID-19”, “pandemics”, “psychotic symptoms”, and “ first episode of psychosis” Relevant literature was limited to articles describing studies conducted and published in 2020.

9 papers met the inclusion criteria. The selected studies reported 20 cases of psychosis in patients with no psychiatric history, directly triggered by stress derived from the COVID-19 pandemic and by social distancing and quarantine. All cases were characterized by sudden behavioral changes out of character, increased concern about coronavirus risk infection, anxiety, psychomotor agitation, and insomnia. In multiple cases, psychotic symptoms were characterized by thoughts of reference, persecution, and structured delusional. 5 patients were convinced that COVID-19 Pandemic was part of a conspiracy and that someone was trying to infect them by diffusing the COVID-19 or other pollutants. Half of the patients had the delusional conviction that they got infected and they were contagious.

COVID-19 pandemic appears to be the trigger for precipitating psychosis which has a high risk of suicidal behavior. During pandemics, mental health professionals should carry out more focused diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

No significant relationships.