**5. Conclusions**

SARS-CoV-2 outbreak can be considered a unique mental health disaster. Most studies have reported psychological and neuropsychological problems (anxiety and depression, PTSD, sleep problems, and cognitive problems) post-COVID-19, even in people without previously diagnosed mental health problems. PTSD is the most prevalent long-term post-COVID psychiatric condition, followed by depression and anxiety disorders.

Aside from causing physical illness, SARS-CoV-2 also has long-term negative effects on mental health. The crucial question of what causes these mental health issues cannot be precisely answered based on the information now available. They could result from the virus's direct effects on the brain and central nervous system, but they could also be brought on by the stress of being hospitalized with a disease

*Post-COVID-19 and Mental Health DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110409*

that is poorly understood in the midst of widespread social anxiety or by experiences like witnessing the deaths of other patients in the hospital, or family members. It is quite reasonable to conclude that psychological symptoms resulting from infection with the coronavirus last much longer than the physical symptoms of the disease.

The results of conducted scientific research on the connection between the post-COVID-19 state and mental health emphasize the need to increase the readiness and competence of health workers in detecting and managing the psychological consequences of future comparable outbreaks of infectious diseases. It is clear that care for patients with COVID-19 does not end at hospital discharge, and currently, health-care professionals caring for acute COVID-19 survivors have a key role in recognizing, carefully documenting, investigating, and managing ongoing or new symptoms, as well as monitoring of organ-specific complications that developed during an acute illness.

Ultimately, additional research is needed regarding the long-term impact of COVID-19 on mental health.
