The psychiatrist explains how prolonged hospitalization can affect mental health

Maria: Well, Jessica. Thank you for this update. As we report, BUFFALO BILLS SAFETY DAMAR HAMLIN is now home from the hospital, a week after going into a cardiac arrest during a football game in Cincinnati. on TV. Here to answer questions dr. Manuel Pacheco, a psychologist at Tufts Medical Center. It’s great to see you, Doctor. Ben: – Ed: Nice to see you. People say wow, yeah, he’s home tonight. Hamelin’s doctors say he’s made a remarkable recovery. It was only last Monday that he collapsed in the field, no pulse, needed resuscitation, put on a ventilator. Resuscitation was done not once, but twice. I’m going to tell everyone the obvious, but I know you’re not consulting it, but in general, once people realize how close they are to death, can it affect their mental health? Doctor. Pacheco: Over the years I’ve been in the care of a lot of people who have been urgently admitted to the hospital. A prolonged medical admission, as if you had to go to an intensive care unit, can affect the terms of your ability to focus as you think about things more often. About half of the people in the hospital for a moment, especially the intensive care unit with a life-threatening diagnosis, could get some form of PTSD from that. Maria: Certainly. Many not only the patient, but many of us know people who have been in the hospital for days, weeks and even months. For some, it can be emotional, even traumatic. What advice do you have for people who provide care when they return home? Doctor. Pacheco: We all have that in our family. Myself, I had to be a caregiver for about a month. The most important thing is to listen to what the person you love or the person you love cares about, what they think about, what they worry about. Make sure you are in contact with their doctors about warning signs. Many people often fear what will happen if they have to return or if they will die if they return home. The last important thing is that you mentioned that DAMAR HAMLIN is coming home after a week. Sometimes, people can set unrealistic expectations about when they can return to normal. We don’t know what is normal for each person. Ed: That’s a great point, great point. Doctor. Can it be difficult to talk about the difference between physical symptoms and mental symptoms? Is it difficult to talk about the difference? If you’re worried about something, your stomach can be both, you can become short of breath. The thing is, if you’re wondering when you should pay attention and worry about it – ED: warning signs, right. Doctor. Pacheco: Someone who doesn’t sleep at all. Does not eat. Unable to stop thinking about what happened. It is important to pay attention to the things that are preventing someone from improving and from simply taking the next step in recovery. Most of the time, you will know the person you are caring for and those who have significant warning signs, if they feel that they are not worth it or that they are powerless. As usual, talk to the doctors who took care of your loved one.

The psychiatrist explains how prolonged hospitalization can affect mental health

Updated: 5:02 PM EST January 11, 2023

Dr. Manuel Pacheco, a psychiatrist at Tufts Medical Center, explains how severe medical events that lead to prolonged hospitalization can cause a form of PTSD.

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Dr. Manuel Pacheco, a psychiatrist at Tufts Medical Center, explains how severe medical events that lead to prolonged hospitalization can cause a form of PTSD.