New-Onset Hyperreligiosity, Demonic Hallucinations, and Apocalyptic Delusions following COVID-19 Infection.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Neuropsychiatric sequelae of COVID-19 are increasingly documented.
• Mechanisms linking COVID-19 infection to psychosis are under investigation.
• A correlation between COVID-19 and psychosis is suggested by emerging literature.

Observation:

• A 34-year-old female with no prior psychiatric history developed severe psychosis after contracting COVID-19.
• Symptoms included worsening mood, auditory hallucinations, intrusive thoughts, and hyperreligiosity.
• The patient required two inpatient psychiatric admissions for symptom management.

Findings:

• The patient experienced auditory hallucinations, delusions, hyperreligiosity, and negative psychotic symptoms post-COVID-19.
• Antipsychotic treatment led to resolution of hallucinations but not other persistent symptoms.
• Full remission was not achieved even after a second psychiatric admission.

Implications:

• Physicians must recognize potential neuropsychiatric complications of COVID-19.
• Early consideration of antipsychotic treatment and inpatient psychiatric admission is crucial for affected patients.
• Further research is needed to understand and manage COVID-induced psychosis.