Russia Suffers Mental Health Crisis as Citizens Grow Depressed Over Putin's War in Ukraine: Report
Depressed Russians are reportedly facing a mounting mental health crisis.
Sept. 19 2023, Published 1:30 p.m. ET
Depressed Russians are reportedly facing a mounting mental health crisis as the country grapples with a severe shortage of the depression medication Prozac, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The scarcity of the drug, which grew to record levels in 2022, reportedly left many Russian citizens in crisis mode.
The country's stockpiles of Prozac ran out in June 2023 after the introduction of sanctions and a surge in Russian usage.
According to a report from Russian news outlet RBC, the country's stockpiles of Prozac ran out in June 2023 after the introduction of sanctions and a surge in Russian usage – which saw a staggering 63% increase from the previous year.
The Russian outlet also reported that only four out of 2,400 pharmacies in Moscow and two out of 1,300 in St. Petersburg had any stock of the medication left.
The startling Prozac shortage comes as Vladimir Putin and Russia continue to face the consequences of the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
"Experts attribute the increase in sales of antidepressants in general to the anxiety of Russians due to the news and economic background, the special military operation in Ukraine, and the consequences of sanctions," the RBC report stated, according to Daily Star.
Russia's health ministry recently took measures to address the Prozac shortage by approving one dozen alternative anti-depression medicines.
The ongoing geopolitical tensions and economic challenges faced by the Russian population have reportedly contributed significantly to the worsening mental health situation.
Russia's health ministry recently took measures to address the Prozac shortage by approving one dozen alternative anti-depression medicines that contain fluoxetine – the active ingredient in Prozac.
However, the ministry still claimed that there was "no shortage" of other drugs despite the absence of Prozac.
Even more concerning are reports that the scarcity of essential medications is not an isolated incident in Russia.
The United States company Eli Lilly, which produces Prozac, announced its exit from the Russian market earlier this year.
The country has been increasingly affected by a shortage of top Western goods due to sanctions and self-imposed curbs on sales.
The United States company Eli Lilly, which produces Prozac, announced its exit from the Russian market earlier this year as a result of Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
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Shortages of cardiovascular drugs and medicines for viral hepatitis C and epilepsy have further strained healthcare in the country.
"Only 30% of people with HIV in Russia will be able to receive antiretroviral therapy with the money remaining in the 2023 budget," reported Verstka, a Russian healthcare organization.
Russia’s economy is also expected to collapse as a result of Western sanctions placed upon the country over Putin’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
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As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Russia’s economy is also expected to collapse as a result of Western sanctions placed upon the country over Putin’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
One Russian insider predicted in May that Russia will be “broke” by 2024 as Putin struggles to replace Western investors.
“The money will run out next year,” Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska said earlier this year. “We need more freedom and competition.”
Deripaska also slammed Putin and said that the embattled Russian leader must “stop dreaming about some special place for Russia in the world and go about its own business” before the Russian economy suffers a complete collapse.
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