Social distancing plays a leading role in controlling the spread of coronavirus. However, prolonged lockdown can lead to negative consequences in terms of mental health. The goal of the research is to examine the relationship between anxiety and general psychosomatic functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of psychological flexibility and mindfulness is also considered. Variables were measured with self-report questionnaires and symptom checklists. The sample included 170 people (M = 27.79, SD = 8.16). Pearson’s correlation, stepwise regression, and path analysis were conducted. The results showed a significant positive relationship between state anxiety and somatic and psychological responses to the pandemic. Path analysis revealed that mindfulness had a direct negative impact on and decreased the level of state anxiety (b = −0.22, p = 0.002), whereas psychological flexibility influenced the variable indirectly (b = 0.23, p = 0.002) by enhancing psychosomatic functioning (b = −0.64, p < 0.001). Psychological flexibility and mindfulness may mediate the development of mental disorders and facilitate achieving overall wellbeing. The study points to the usefulness of mindfulness practice as a form of self-help with anxiety symptoms; this is crucial during the pandemic because contact with clients is restricted.

Many studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic can have a great influence on mental health. However, there is still not enough research to fully understand how people suffering from schizophrenia experience crisis situations such as a pandemic. This qualitative study aims to explore this subject. Ten outpatients suffering from schizophrenia were interviewed in a semi-structured format using an interview designed by the authors for the purpose of this study. The interviews were transcribed, and a conventional qualitative content analysis was conducted. The general themes identified in the content analysis were organized into four categories: first reactions to information about the pandemic; subjective assessment of the pandemic’s impact on patients’ mental health; patients’ attitudes towards the temporary limitations and lockdowns; psychiatric treatment and psychotherapy during the pandemic. A variety of different experiences were observed, but the general conclusion arising from the study suggests that the majority of the interviewed patients coped quite well with the pandemic and that the observed reactions were similar to the reactions of other groups described in the literature. The study also confirmed the importance of the continuity of psychiatric care for patients with schizophrenia.

Narodowy Program Ochrony Zdrowia Psychicznego na lata 2017-2022 poszerza zakres lecznictwa środowiskowego, co wymaga wprowadzenia zmian w zakresie programów edukacyjnych uczelni wyższych w Polsce dotyczących funkcjonowania oraz rozwoju działań zgodnych z modelem środowiskowym. Celem przeprowadzonego badania było uzyskanie opinii studentów kierunków medycznych na temat psychiatrii środowiskowej. W badaniu wzięło udział 171 studentów kierunków medycznych (lekarski, pielęgniarstwo itd.) i psychologii z różnych miast Polski. W opinii badanych model leczenia środowiskowego stanowi właściwą alternatywę dla tradycyjnego leczenia psychiatrycznego, choć nie wszyscy badani potrafią ten model trafnie zdefiniować oraz postulują włączenie treści związanych z opieką środowiskową w zakres kształcenia akademickiego lub poszerzenie jego obecnego zakresu, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem szkolenia praktycznego.