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Several studies report incidence of psychiatric symptoms and disorders among patients who recovered from COVID-19; however, little is known about the emotional impact of acute COVID-19 illness and recovery on these survivors. Qualitative methods are ideal for understanding the psychological impact of a novel illness.To describe the emotional experience of acute COVID-19 illness and recovery in patients who contracted the virus during the early months of the pandemic.Semi-structured interviews conducted by consultation-liaison (C-L) psychiatrists were used to elicit participant responses about the emotional impact of the acute and recovery phases of COVID-19 illness. Participants recruited from the Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia area were interviewed and audio recorded between June 2020 and December 2020. The research team extracted qualitative themes from the recordings using the principles of thematic analysis.One hundred and one COVID-19 survivors (54 women; mean [SD] age, 50 [14.7] years) were interviewed a mean of 5.16 months after their acute illness, and their responses were audio recorded. Most participants were White (77%), non-Hispanic/Latino (86.1%), and not hospitalized for COVID-19 (87.1%). Coders identified 26 themes from participant responses. The most frequently coded themes included Anxiety/Worry (49), Uncertainty (37), Supportfrom Others (35), Alone/Isolation (32), Positive Reframe/Positive Emotions (32).Survivors who contracted SARS-CoV-2 during the early months of the pandemic described both negative and positive valence emotions. They experienced emotional distress and psychosocial stressors associated with acute illness and recovery but also drew upon personal resiliency to cope. This report highlights the utility of qualitative research methods in identifying emotional responses to a novel illness that may otherwise go unnoted. C-L psychiatrists may be uniquely positioned to work in collaboration with medical colleagues in developing a multidimensional approach to evaluating an emerging illness.

Somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD) and functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) are common causes of morbidity in children and adults. They are associated with impaired functioning in multiple domains and increasing health care utilization and costs. Their complex nature with medical and psychiatric comorbidities, diverse symptomatology, and often waxing and waning course can make them difficult to study and treat. However, there is some literature in this area regarding pharmacologic and behavioral treatment approaches. This review aims to examine the existing evidence for pharmacological treatments of SSRD and FGID. Several categories of psychotropic medications have been found to be efficacious in many of these disorders, including antidepressants, anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, and antipsychotics. Novel approaches to somatization include treatment with cannabinoids, ketamine, opioid antagonists, and peppermint oil. Data on pharmacological management of heterogeneous somatoform disorders ranges from sparse to substantial. A rehabilitative intervention model consisting of pharmacological and nonpharmacological modalities with simultaneous treatment of psychiatric comorbidities is recommended.