This article contains themes that may be disturbing for some readers.
Authorities in Spain have reportedly rescued three children who were allegedly kept inside their home by their parents for four years due to a condition referred to as ‘COVID syndrome’.
Spanish police intervened earlier this week to rescue eight-year-old twins and their 10-year-old sibling, who had allegedly been confined since 2021.
Upon arrival, officers described the children’s condition as ‘in terrible shape’. An investigator noted that although the children were not suffering from malnutrition, they were ‘dirty’ and ‘completely cut off from reality’.
During the police visit, the parents, a 53-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman, reportedly requested that the officers wear face masks.
The family was apparently living under strict COVID protocols, despite Spain having lifted coronavirus restrictions in March 2022.
The parents are believed to suffer from ‘COVID syndrome’, also referred to as COVID Anxiety Syndrome (CAS).
VeryWellMind describes CAS symptoms as including compulsive checking for COVID symptoms, avoiding public places, obsessive cleaning, and other controlling behaviors.
Additional symptoms of CAS might involve an inability to focus on anything other than COVID-19, disruption of daily life due to anxiety, unnecessary self-isolation, or feelings of hopelessness about the pandemic.
Physical symptoms can also manifest, such as frequent headaches or stomachaches.
“Researchers suggest that, for some, isolation, fear of contracting COVID-19, and uncertainty throughout the pandemic may have pointed to the group of symptoms that make up CAS,” according to VeryWellMind.
It is also proposed that individuals with high levels of neuroticism—a personality trait linked to negative emotions—could be more susceptible to developing CAS, along with those who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a 25 percent rise in global anxiety and depression rates during the pandemic’s first year.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, commented: “The information we have now about the impact of COVID-19 on the world’s mental health is just the tip of the iceberg.
“This is a wake-up call to all countries to pay more attention to mental health and do a better job of supporting their populations’ mental health.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress or crisis, support is available through Mental Health America. Contact the 24-hour crisis center by calling or texting 988, or access webchat support at 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line can also be reached by texting MHA to 741741.