How Lived Experiences of COVID-19 Shape Mental Health: A Case Series of COVID-19 Patients from Wuhan, China

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severely impacts physical and mental health of COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to investigate COVID-19 patient narratives to reveal how their lived experiences of COVID-19 infection and quarantine shape their mental health. In-depth semi-structural interviews were conducted with 5 COVID-19 patients from Wuhan to elicit their lived experiences of COVID-19. The case reports showed that persons diagnosed with COVID-19 infection and admitted to the COVID ward developed the symptoms of anxiety, worry, low mood, frustration, irritability, stigma, distress, guilt, and loneliness. Lack of scientific information, long-term social isolation, and limited social support were the main risk factors leading to their mental health problems. The study suggests that timely diagnosis of patients’ mental health problems and diverse psychological interventions are needed before, during, and after their hospitalization.