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)
