'A Lion Sleeping Next to Me': Preliminary Considerations on the Psychological Consequences of Surviving COVID-19

In Italy, psychologists and psychiatrists are beginning to observe the mental consequences in patients who were hospitalised with COVID-19 and survived. As one of the most important hospitals in Italy, Fondazione Policlinico ‘Agostino Gemelli’/Columbus COVID-19 Hospital is heavily involved in the management of the Italian COVID-19 crisis. In July 2020 an integrated psychiatric/psychological service for COVID-19 survivors was instigated. To date, 31 patients have been taken-in-charge and six are undergoing psychotherapy. We here describe preliminary impressions on common issues of COVID-19 survivors shared with us in their first sessions of psychotherapy: stigma, remaining contagious, physical and psychological sequelae, previous traumas.