MADISON, Wis. — A study analyzing more than 62,000 coronavirus cases in the U.S. Found that roughly 20 percent of them went on to be diagnosed with a mental illness within three months of contracting the disease. 

The study was funded through the National Institute for Health Research and carried out by Oxford University scientists using data from Trinetx. It found that people were more likely to develop mental health issues after having coronavirus than after other medical issues like the flu or broken bones. People were diagnosed most commonly with anxiety, depression and insomnia.

Some of the cases of people who went on to be diagnosed with a mental illness were re-diagnosed, however there was a correlation in the study for people being diagnosed for the first time as well.

“Although preliminary, our findings have implications for clinical services, and prospective cohort studies are warranted,” the study's authors wrote.

While the study is preliminary, healthcare professionals say it highlights that we still don't know the full implications of the virus.

“That's why we must take it seriously with people starting to experience secondary significant mental health issues on top of already having contracted COVID-19,” said Dr. Shilagh Mirgain, a distinguished psychologist at University of Wisconsin Health.

Mirgain said she's seeing people burnt out and struggling regardless of if they've had coronavirus or not. She says there are higher rates of depression and anxiety along with substance abuse.

“Our biggest challenge right now is to flatten the mental health curve especially as the winter months are coming, which can be challenging in these northern parts of the country like Wisconsin,” Mirgain said.

Wisconsin's branch of the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) has seen an increase in people looking for help during the pandemic. The director, Mary Kay Battaglia, said the first few weeks there wasn't an increase, then as the pandemic went on that change. 

“Once everything settled it kind of became the storm of people really needing support,” Battaglia said. “Not just our typical members who we've supported through up and down, but a slough of new people who have experienced mental health crisis, anxieties, stress.”

Battaglia said calls to NAMI's national mental health crisis line have gone up exponentially. Part of the reason the organization is celebrating the recent congressional passage of a 9-8-8 line for mental health crises to alleviate those calls going to 9-1-1. 

While the social impacts from the pandemic are certainly taking a toll on mental health, Battaglia said it's still too early to say how legitimate the tie between the coronavirus and neurological impacts causing mental illness is.

“Those studies are all very preliminary,” Battaglia said. “But there is good signs right now to be concerned.”

The study also found a correlation between people having coronavirus and being diagnosed with dementia within three months. Patients with dementia are already having a tough time during the pandemic with decreases in physical contact with others according to experts with the Mayo Clinic.

“There's a disruption in routine as well,” said Angela Lunde, a co-investigator in the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. “Which most people with dementia do best with structure and routine so that's been uprooted to some degree.”

Doing things like regular virtual visits or letters are helpful to dementia patients.

“It really has been tough on our patients with dementia,”  Jonathan Graff-Radford, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist “But we have learned that by using those tools, staying in touch have made a difference.”

Battaglia said the largest issue with mental health in the pandemic is access to healthcare. She said it's simply not a good system to tie treatment for mental health issues to a job — particularly as so many have been left unemployed by the pandemic.

“When your employment's gone and you don't have healthcare you're going to delay going to get care,” Battaglia said. “When you delay getting care and mental health it is worse when you finally do seek care, it becomes a crisis.”

Mirgain worries about mental health as days get shorter and colder in the pandemic. Outdoor activities that people have been using to meet up with friends and family or relieve tension will become less accessible. Numbers of people feeling isolated usually go up around the holidays as well.

Mirgain encourages people to take actions to help their mental health. She suggests people exercise, eat healthy, and keep up with communications with family and friends. Mirgain said another useful strategy to help your own mental health is doing something nice for someone else.

“So we have to really work on daily coping strategies and really work on mental health skills to keep ourselves healthy in mind and body,” Mirgain said.

Mirgain said most importantly, if you are feeling weight of mental health impacts, to reach out and contact someone.