In Russia, the use of medication for depression and anxiety has changed significantly over a relatively short period.
New figures show that sales of antidepressants have almost tripled since 2019, the year before the pandemic.
According to analyses by the Russian consultancy DSM, the upward trend has continued year after year, even after coronavirus restrictions were lifted.
The rise coincides with a period marked by war, economic uncertainty and increasing political pressure.
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Several assessments suggest that the prolonged conflict in Ukraine has had a greater emotional impact on the population than the pandemic itself.
In 2025 alone, sales of antidepressants increased by more than one third compared with the previous year, amounting to over 22 million packages sold in a single year.
War, economy and mental strain
Independent media and international reports describe how the war has become a constant presence in daily life for many Russians, through loss, uncertainty and shifting economic conditions.
At the same time, data from RNC Pharma show a similar increase in consumption, reinforcing the picture of a broad societal trend rather than isolated changes.
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Experts outside Russia note that antidepressant medication is generally well documented and effective when used appropriately.
However, they also warn that medication is increasingly being used to manage problems rooted in social or structural pressures, rather than clearly defined clinical disorders.
Medicine as a social indicator
Antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors now dominate the market, while older medications play a smaller role than in the past.
At the same time, these drugs remain relatively affordable in Russia when compared with average wages, although income levels vary widely between regions.
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The development raises broader questions about how prolonged societal crises affect mental health, and whether medication is increasingly becoming an individual response to collective strain.
Sources: Ziare
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