For the first time, medicines for mental health are the second with the highest consumption in Chile.
Through the figures of the Department of Health Economics (Desal), under the Ministry of Health, it was revealed that between 2011 and 2021, the most consumed drugs (regarding the dose per day per thousand inhabitants) are those prescribed for cardiovascular conditions, according to instructions The Mercury.
These are antihypertensives, diuretics, vasodilators, or agents that lower serum lipids; being followed by antidepressants, anxiolytics and antipsychotics.
For the psychiatrist of the UC Christus Health Network, Alberto Aedo, “this is a faithful reflection of how much the prevalence of psychiatric pathologies has increased in the Chilean population”, which has had “two great accelerants”, according to the slogan Cooperative.
“We had the sociopolitical situation from October 19 onwards, which regardless of the ideological, was a super stressful situation for all Chileans. Then came the second blow, in March 2020, with the confinement and everything that happened and continues happening,” he said.
The rise in the consumption of these drugs began to be marked in 2019 with 147 daily doses per thousand inhabitants, compared to 2014, which had a rate of 123 doses.
In 2020 this increased with 196 daily doses, which increased to 233 in 2021. This constitutes an increase of 89% in two years.
Daniel Sánchez, a psychologist and researcher at the Central University, agreed on the effects of the pandemic on mental health, but affirms that few take it seriously, since effects are expected in the next 15 years that are already evident in the streets, the students etc
In this regard, Jorge Gaete, a psychiatrist and academic at the Faculty of Education of the Universidad de los Andes, affirms that “the use of preventive and self-care measures in mental health issues should be encouraged.”
The professional stressed that educational establishments and jobs “are favorable places to implement prevention programs,” although he indicated that “we must increase the supply of care services, both private and public.”
However, Sánchez noted that “the medicine stops the symptom, but it does not solve the problem for me. Many people think that through medicines they will solve the problems of the pandemic”, which does not solve it.
