Alcoholism in Russia has grown against the background of the coronavirus pandemic, Vitaly Morozov, the head physician of the Bekhterev medical center, Ph.D. in an interview with 78.ru, said on Monday, November 9.
According to him, in April-May of this year, the number of requests for help with alcohol or drug addiction decreased, but then there was a tangible increase.
“The turnover rate increased by 15–20 percent compared to the previous year. This is the whole summer, this is September-October. And now in November, there is a recession “, – said the specialist.
In addition, the head physician of the medical center also noted an increase in the number of patients with neuroses, panic attacks and exacerbations of various mental illnesses.
“When the pandemic started, when the isolation measures began, the circulation decreased. People sat at home, in dachas. And many drank alcohol during this period. because it’s stress, problems. And the usual remedy for stress is alcohol, unfortunately, ” – noted Morozov.
On September 21, the country’s former chief sanitary doctor, Gennady Onishchenko, commented on the proposal to switch to a four-day working week in Russia. According to him, this can lead to an increase in alcoholism among the population.
On September 11, the chief freelance psychiatrist-narcologist of the Russian Ministry of Health and the Moscow Department of Health, Evgeny Brun, said that mainly citizens aged 30 to 50 suffer from alcohol dependence. According to him, the formation of alcohol abuse takes five to ten years. That is why the peak of alcohol problems occurs at the age after 30, the expert emphasized.