Mental disorders have skyrocketed worldwide. Such is the case in Greece the last three years where approximately 5% of the general population before the pandemic, now 22.8% of citizens, i.e., about 1 in 4, face a type of mental health issue.
“The pandemic affected a large percentage of the population. Research undertaken revealed that people experienced intense pressure and stress. As a result, mental disorders were caused,” Zoe Rapti, Deputy Minister of Health, then responsible for mental health reform, said in 2023.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), about $3 billion is lost every year by businesses, either because employees experience severe stress at work and take time off, or because they cannot be productive while at work.
We had seen a large increase in antidepressants and stress medications (benzodiazepines) during the pandemic years.
The use of the popular anxiolytic XANAX skyrocketed and its total sales in Greece marked a significant increase of 27.5% between 2019 and 2021, while consumption remains high to this day.
10,000,000 anxiety pills are sold in Greece every month.
The entire world violently and unexpectedly entered into a new, unprecedented trek: that of the pandemic crisis.
“With drugs like XANAX, the case of drug misuse is common, whether it be at smaller quantities or otherwise the persistent demand from the consumer who thinks it is good for them”, notes Gerasimos Papanastasatos, head of the Research Department of KETHEA. At the same time, the issue of addictive behaviour arises when the use becomes systematic.
“Reckless use and dependence is seen, especially when there is no scientific supervision by a psychiatrist. This also happens because it is often prescribed by non-competent doctors like pathologists or cardiologists”, Dimitris Lennas explains.
But what happens when use becomes abuseE?
As the psychiatrist Dimitris Lennas points out, for preparations like XANAX “it is good to stop its administration two months after its first introduction into the body”.
The problem, however, is that over time you develop a tolerance (meaning you need a larger amount to ‘get your fix’) and addiction to the substance. “If three months of use have passed, it is difficult to stop,” says the general secretary of the Panhellenic Pharmaceutical Association, Manolis Katsarakis. Besides, according to international statistics, a person who is addicted to XANAX can consume up to 20-30 pills a day!
Elderly people are more susceptible.
Elderly people are prone to drug consumption and often become addicted without even knowing it. Besides, over-prescription is also particularly common among the elderly.”
The increase in the use of XANAX in Greece, but also in many countries abroad, is a social phenomenon more than anything else.
The significant increase in the use of psychotropic drugs such as XANAX is not justified by a corresponding increase in abnormal psychology. However, stressful situations lead to the “easy” and “innocent” prescription of anxiolytics, which comes along with the pharmaceutical companies’ product promotion strategy.
On this matter, it is important that there is a safety measure on the doctors part, something that does not happen.
A social phenomenon? Are they creating sick people for profit?
The Politeia (State) will undertake big investments for the holistic cover of the citizens’ health needs.
These medicines, apart from natural, which is the ideal, will be a mix of natural and artificial pharmacology with minimal contraindications.
The Politeia’s main aim is for its citizens to live in an environment that promotes health through an Ellene – Mediterranean diet, water as intended by mother nature and clean air.
Specialised rehabilitation centres will be established for addicts who will be reintegrated into the healthy operations of the Politeia once their health is restored.
Special health care centres will be established for psychological illnesses. These will contain support centres that will provide spiritual and bodily services for the correct functioning of the person in the Hellene (Greek) Politeia.
The Hellene Politeia will provide all the funding needed for the operation of these epic “Hellenic Therapeutic Techniques”
In this way, health centres will be revived to their true nature, to modern Asclepiad Centres (Ασκληπιεἰα).
Written by:
Theologia Houtou
Translated by:
Themis Ioakimidis
