Italians are medicating their anxiety
ever more.
In a single year, there was an 8% increase in Italy in the
use of drugs to treat anxiety, nervousness, panic attacks and
insomnia, according to a study by Italian drug agency AIFA.
A stable about 6% of the population, the report stated, had
been prescribed an antidepressant during the year.
Through an analysis of the data on drug prescriptions
reimbursed by the national healthcare system, AIFA estimated
that about 3.6 million Italians used antidepressants in 2017.
An increase was instead seen in the consumption of
benzodiazepines, which include anti-anxiety, hypnotic and
sedative drugs.
In 2017, "there were about 50 daily doses every thousand
inhabitants, an increase of about 8% on the previous year".
"This should sound alarm bell, since it indicates a response
to increased levels of stress and psychological problems in
daily life," said Massimo Cozza, psychiatrist and coordinator of
the mental health department of the Asl Rm2 local health
authority, the largest in Italy with about 1.3 inhabitants
covered.
He added that this was the result of "a growing solitude, an
uncertain future and a rising inability to manage frustration."
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
