The lockdown associated with COVID‑19 has disrupted lives around the globe. People with depression and bipolar disorder are particularly vulnerable to disruptions in routines and their usual patterns of daily life. They need routine, regularity and social interaction to be able to manage their mood symptoms and a breakdown in these factors can precipitate a relapse.
Researchers from the Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch (Professor Richard Porter, Professor Marie Crowe, and Dr Maree Inder) have joined forces with international collaborators in USA, Australia, Canada, UK, and the Netherlands to develop a survey of the effects of COVID‑19 and the associated lockdowns and social distancing for people with mood disorders.
This online survey asks questions about how people with mood disorders have been affected by social distancing and lockdown requirements in a range of countries, and how this has affected their mood.
The survey is available to people who have received a diagnosis of depression or bipolar disorder from a health professional.