A recent survey carried out by psychologists from Beijing An'ding
Hospital showed that about 85 percent of recovered
SARS
patients feel psychologically affected by being a victim of SARS.
They thought themselves unlucky and unaccepted in daily social life
now. While those recovered SARS patients who once infected others
feel guilty too.
One of the recovered SARS patients said that the building where he
lives has two lifts, and usually only one lift is in operation, but
now two lifts work at the same time, one especially for his family.
Everyone else takes the other lift. He doesn't accept this. A
doctor Xiang Yingqiang from An'ding Hospital related.
Yang Yunping, director of the Psychological Department of An'ding
Hospital said, the public need more time to be familiar with SARS
information, so there will be a period for the public to face SARS
patients unperturbed. The patients also should readjust themselves
gradually from physical recovery to psychological recovery.
Meanwhile, some of them need to be organized in small groups in
order to be treated collectively and for communication and support
with each other.
Beijing An'ding Hospital will open a special psychotherapy room for
SARS patients during work days, where psychologists and
psychiatrists will provide treatment for those who have been
infected.
(China.org.cn translated by Wang Zhiyong June 17, 2003)