According to a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal, symptoms of COVID infection are associated with poorer mental health and lower life satisfaction. The collaborative study was conducted by researchers from Kings College London and University College London in the UK.

The meta-analysis study took data from 11 longitudinal studies between April 2020 and April 2021, in which there were 54,442 participants with and without self-reported COVID. The findings of the study revealed that the increase in psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and lower life satisfaction were associated with prior self-reported COVID.

They also found that similar effects of infection were felt in different groups of gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic circumstances.

The study also suggested that COVID infection had a major impact on the mental health of older adults aged 50 and above, as people with self-reported infection showed a stronger association with poorer mental health. The researchers stated that this was in line with the findings of earlier studies suggesting that older people are more likely to experience severe COVID symptoms, anxiety, and an increased risk of changes in the blood vessel (microvascular) or brain (neurological) structure and function after infection.

However, this contrasted with the effect of the pandemic on overall mental health, where previous studies have shown that women and adults in the age group of 25–44 have had the greatest adverse impacts. 

(Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/coronavirus/symptomatic-covid-infection-linked-with-poor-mental-health-lancet-study-441241 )