The consumption of medications among Czech individuals has been steadily rising, particularly in the use of painkillers, as well as drugs for depression and anxiety. Older women are the most frequent users of these medications seeking relief.

However, what begins as recommended dosage can gradually escalate as individuals unknowingly exceed the prescribed limits. One or two pills no longer provide sufficient relief. Petr Popov, the head of the Addiction Clinic at Prague’s VFN Hospital, stated, “We are witnessing a steady increase in the number of people abusing drugs or experiencing problems that escalate into addiction.”

These medications often alleviate issues such as headaches, insomnia, or depression. The most commonly misused drugs include analgesics, sedatives, hypnotics, and benzodiazepines, which are primarily prescribed for anxiety relief and calming effects.

While benzodiazepines still dominate the market, other drugs are gaining popularity. There has been a significant increase in dependence on Z-hypnotics, sleep-regulating medications. Addiction specialists also observe a rise in the misuse of opioid analgesics, including opioids.

Data from the State Institute for Drug Control reveals a concerning trend. In 2018, approximately 2.5 million packages of opioid analgesics were dispensed on e-prescriptions. By 2020, this number had risen to nearly 4 million packages. However, the overall consumption of psychiatric and anxiety medications has slightly decreased since 2020.

A comprehensive report on addictions issued last year highlighted that 15 percent of Czechs have problems with psychoactive drugs. Over a million people reported problematic use of sedatives and hypnotics in 2021. Alarmingly, even children are not exempt from this issue, with 17 percent of high school students admitting to using sedatives or sleep aids without a doctor’s recommendation.

While not all cases lead to addiction, long-term and increased medication use can render the drugs ineffective over time. Patients with chronic headaches, for example, may no longer respond to the medication they have been taking.

Prevention is crucial in addressing this issue. Doctors and pharmacists should emphasize the risks of medication misuse when prescribing drugs. Misuse of psychoactive drugs poses a significant challenge, as any specialist, not just psychiatrists, can prescribe them. This allows patients to exploit doctors’ lack of knowledge and obtain the same drug from multiple sources.

To mitigate this problem, a prescription record can be a valuable tool for doctors. By reviewing the record, they can easily determine if a patient is obtaining medication from multiple sources. Prevention efforts, awareness campaigns, and stricter monitoring can help address the rising concerns of medication misuse and addiction in the Czech Republic.

Article by Prague Forum