A concerning new study highlights a significant increase in psychiatric drug use in Israel since the start of the war in Gaza.

Presented at the Israeli Society for Quality in Medicine’s annual meeting in Tel Aviv on Sunday, the research from the Meir Medical Center reveals a 50% increase in anti-anxiety medication purchases and a tripling of narcotic pain reliever acquisitions among the general population.

Amongst the southern Israeli communities hit the hardest on October 7 by Hamas’ brutal massacre, the crisis is even more pronounced with a 200% increase in anti-anxiety drug purchases and a 250% rise in narcotic pain reliever use. These areas also experienced a 33% increase in antidepressant use and a 25% rise in sleeping pill consumption.

Research leader Dr. Hornik-Lurie of Meir warns that urgent action is needed to prevent addiction, especially among high-risk groups.

“The risk factors for the consumption of all four families of drugs after October 7th are older age, living in the Gaza Envelope on October 7th, living in a peripheral area, and being female,”she explains.

“We observed an alarming increase in the consumption of anti-anxiety drugs and a spike in the use of narcotic pain relievers after the outbreak of the war. We suggest conducting further studies that will examine the long-term effects of the war on the entire population and the residents of the surrounding area, in particular.”