Nightmares and COVID-19: A possible increase in suicide attempts.

Abstract

COVID-19, an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, has negatively affected almost every country in the world, with consequences going far beyond those of the disease itself. Some pandemic-related symptoms, such as anxiety, fear, worry, and traumatic stress, have had an impact on mental health and are known to be significant causes of nightmares. It has been demonstrated that people with frequent nightmares have a higher risk of suicide, especially when the nightmares are combined with depression. Many countries have reported COVID-19-related suicides. In particular, patients with previous psychiatric disorders may present a worsening of symptoms, becoming more vulnerable to suicide attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim is to call attention to the possible impact that an increase in nightmares during the pandemic may have in respect of suicide and the need to give more focus on the triad of sleep, mental health, and suicide, factors that might be more related than we thought prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)