Anxiety, grief, pain: since the beginning of the war in Russia, more and more people are taking antidepressants

The Consumer Surveillance Agency found that the number of antidepressants sold between January and September 2022 increased by 70% year-over-year, Russian news agency TASS reported.

Honest SignRussia’s digital marking system has reported on this trend, noting that the unemployment of companies leaving the Russian market and the general unease caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are two of the main growth drivers.

The press release states: “During the nine months of this year, Russians bought 8.4 million packs of antidepressants, which is 48% more than in the same period last year. The amount spent by Russians on these drugs in 2022 turned out to be 70% more than last year, and reached 5 billion rubles (81 million euros).”

It has been noted that people living in cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg are more likely to resort to prescription antidepressants to cope with stress and anxiety. In Moscow, 13.1 packages per 1000 people were bought per month, and in St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg 11.2 packs per 1000 people.

The total amount spent in the first half of 2022 is RUB 3.4 billion (€55 million). In general, in Russia, the average check for the purchase of such drugs is 596 rubles (9.70 euros).

Vasilina Kotova, a 22-year-old IT student, says she started taking prescriptions shortly after President Putin announced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“I didn’t leave the house for two months. I didn’t have the strength to do anything. Even the strength, but the desire to do something, as if you cease to see the point in it at all.

The increase in use has been confirmed by psychologists.

“Antidepressants are available by prescription only. Thus, the increase in sales of antidepressants reflects the actual increase in the number of patients taking antidepressants. I think that this is largely due to the anxiety that has arisen in connection with recent events,” says Russian psychologist Oleg Levin.

But polls have not recorded major changes in the mood of Russians since February this year. According to Levada Centera temporary surge of irritation was noticeable only after the announcement of mobilization, but by October almost two-thirds of the respondents rated their mood as normal or excellent.