Who is at risk of poor mental health following COVID-19 outpatient management?

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research Vol. 157; p. 110859
• Main Authors: Hüfner, K., Tymoszuk, P., Ausserhofer, D., Sahanic, S., Pizzini, A., Rass, V., Galffy, M., Böhm, A., Kurz, K., Sonnweber, T., Tancevski, I., Kiechl, S., Huber, A., Plagg, B., Wiedermann, C., Bellmann-Weiler, R., Bachler, H., Weiss, G., Piccoliori, G., Helbok, R., Löffler-Ragg, J., Sperner-Unterweger, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Inc 01-06-2022; Elsevier Science Ltd; Pergamon Press
• Subjects: Accidents; Addictions; Alcohol abuse; COVID-19; Drug abuse; Eating disorders; Emotional regulation; Exercise; Habits; Health status; Internet; Mental disorders; Mental health; Mountain climbing; Mountaineering; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Physical training; Resilience; Risk taking; Sensation; Sensation seeking; Sports; Substance abuse
• ISSN: 0022-3999; 1879-1360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110859

Objective Common knowledge implies that individuals engaging in outdoor sports and especially in regular and extreme mountaineering are exceptionally healthy and hardened. Here we investigate aspects of regular and extreme mountaineering which go beyond salutogenic effects and might share similarities with psychiatric disorders. Methods This web-based study collected data on exercise and mountaineering addiction (Exercise Addiction Inventory; original and adapted version for mountaineering; Exercise Dependence Scale adapted version for mountaineering). Further parameters included mountaineering habits, the Risk Taking Inventory, the Sensation Seeking/Emotion Regulation/Agency Scale (SEAS), resilience, self-perceived stress, physical activity and mental health. Non-parametric analyses were used. Results Data from 335 regular mountaineers were analysed comparing those with addiction to mountaineering (MA; n = 88) to control participants i.e. subjects without addiction to mountaineering (controls, CO, n = 247). In the MA group there were significantly higher values regarding self-perceived stress (p< 0.001) and higher numbers of individuals affected with depression (p < 0.001), anxiety (p< 0.001), eating disorders (p< 0.001), alcohol abuse or dependence (p< 0.001), illicit drug use (p = 0.050) or history of psychiatric disorders (p< 0.001). No difference was found concerning resilience or somatic disorders. Individuals with MA showed higher values in all SEAS subscales as well as increased risk taking (p < 0.001). No difference between the groups was found for cautiousness. Conclusion Regular and extreme mountaineering can display features of a behavioral addiction and is associated with psychiatric disorders. Increased risk taking in individuals with MA could potentially be a source of accidents.