The novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic represents a global health crisis which can directly or indirectly affect the mental health of millions of people around the world. There are certain aspects of this pandemic, and of the measures necessary for its control, which are of particular concern for patients with bipolar disorders, particularly as regards the risk of relapse.

First, the course of bipolar disorders is sensitive to factors that can disrupt biological and social rhythms, an effect which is mediated through mechanisms related to circadian rhythm regulation.1 A number of the measures that have been advocated to curtail the spread of COVID‐19, such as home confinement, social distancing, lockdowns and quarantine, can potentially disrupt both habitual patterns of sleep and wakefulness as well as the number and quality of social contacts and activities. This could have a deleterious influence on the risk of both manic and depressive relapses.

Second, there is a close relationship between bipolar disorders and substance use, particularly alcohol use. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, some nations have opted to continue sales of alcohol for home consumption, leading to a potential increase in use in vulnerable individuals. Others have opted to restrict such sales, potentially triggering symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. In patients with bipolar disorder, this could lead to increased symptom severity, as well as adverse outcomes such as suicide.2

Third, there is evidence of an association between seropositivity for coronaviruses and the risk of mood disorders and suicide. Though the significance of this association is unclear, it may be related to the neurotropic potential of respiratory coronaviruses, or to their ability to provoke a systemic inflammatory reaction, both of which may be associated with mood dysregulation.3

Other issues of concern in this patient group include the general stresses associated with a disease outbreak, and reduced access to treatment during an epidemic, both of which can trigger a relapse. Further, patients in a manic or hypomanic episode may fail to comply with social distancing or other hygienic measures, placing them at a higher risk of infection. It is of vital importance to assess the impact of these factors on patients with bipolar disorder as the COVID‐19 epidemic unfolds, as its effects are likely to be prolonged and far‐reaching.

新型冠状病毒病 (COVID‐19) 大流行是一场全球健康危机，可直接或间接影响全球数百万人的心理健康。这种流行病的某些方面，以及控制其必要措施的某些方面，是双相情感障碍患者特别关注的，特别是在复发风险方面。

首先，双相情感障碍的病程对可能破坏生物和社会节律的因素很敏感，这种影响是通过与昼夜节律调节相关的机制来介导的。1为遏制 COVID-19 传播而提倡的一些措施，例如居家隔离、社交距离、封锁和隔离，可能会破坏睡眠和清醒的习惯模式以及社交活动的数量和质量。联系方式和活动。这可能对躁狂和抑郁复发的风险产生有害影响。

其次，双相情感障碍与物质使用，尤其是酒精使用之间存在密切关系。在 COVID-19 大流行期间，一些国家选择继续销售用于家庭消费的酒精，这导致弱势群体的使用量可能增加。其他人则选择限制此类销售，可能会引发戒酒症状。在双相情感障碍患者中，这可能导致症状严重程度增加，以及自杀等不良后果。2

第三，有证据表明冠状病毒的血清阳性与情绪障碍和自杀的风险之间存在关联。尽管这种关联的意义尚不清楚，但它可能与呼吸道冠状病毒的嗜神经潜能有关，或者与它们引发全身炎症反应的能力有关，这两者都可能与情绪失调有关。3

该患者群体的其他关注问题包括与疾病爆发相关的一般压力，以及在流行期间减少获得治疗的机会，这两者都可能引发复发。此外，躁狂或轻躁狂发作的患者可能无法遵守社交距离或其他卫生措施，从而使他们面临更高的感染风险。随着 COVID-19 流行病的蔓延，评估这些因素对双相情感障碍患者的影响至关重要，因为其影响可能是长期且深远的。