COVID-19 pandemic is a strange time for everyone. We are learning more about public health now and hopefully we will be prepared better to fight off future pandemics. This one does have some weird consequences, however. For example, it’s been noticed in a study led by UCL scientists that people with Charles Bonnet Syndrome experienced worsening symptoms during the pandemic.
Charles Bonnet Syndrome causes visual hallucinations in blind people and they can be extremely terrifying. Image credit: Lisa M Moskwa via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Charles Bonnet Syndrome is an incurable condition, characterized by visual hallucinations among people who lost their vision. And those can be frightening, significantly impacting one’s well being and mental health. This study involved 45 patients from Moorfields Eye Hospital between June and July 2020 and 56 % of them experienced exacerbated and intensified visual hallucinations during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Exact causes of Charles Bonnet Syndrome are unknown, but those hallucinations can be quite severe. This syndrome itself is often overlooked as a mental health condition that cannot be treated. However, there are ways to help people suffering from it. Most importantly, people with Charles Bonnet Syndrome should not be afraid to consult their doctors and should get proper recommendations about dealing with this frightening condition.
But why COVID-19 lockdowns worsened symptoms of Charles Bonnet Syndrome? Well, scientists suspect that it has a lot to do with the effects of COVID-19 lockdown regime. Scientists say that worsened symptoms of Charles Bonnet Syndrome can be linked to social isolation, loneliness, lack of exercise and exposure to distressing media. Professor Mariya Moosajee, lead researcher in this study, said: “COVID has impacted every single one of us, but now we have evidence that social isolation is precipitating a scary complication of visual impairment, which may have a major long-term effect on mental health.” Again, scientists encourage people with Charles Bonnet Syndrome hallucinations to speak about it with their physicians, because there are ways to help them, even if the condition cannot be cured.
What can people do to avoid worsening symptoms of Charles Bonnet Syndrome? Well, scientists think that it is related to lifestyle changes during the COVID-19 lockdown. You can combat them by improving your life with more physical activity and social interactions. It is not easy, but definitely possible for most.
Charles Bonnet Syndrome is a horrible condition – one can only imagine how it is to be blind and suffer from visual hallucinations. COVID-19 lockdowns seem to make the condition worse, but people suffering from it should seek help.
Source: UCL
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