Addicts have not been left without healthcare in the epidemic, a round table on addiction prevention heard on Tuesday, with participants saying that the pandemic had brought specific patterns of addictive behaviour and that the hospitalisation numbers increased after the spring lockdown.

Speaking of the reasons for the increased consumption of opiates in coronavirus times, experts for the prevention and treatment of various addictions, from alcoholism and narcotics to gambling, said they expected addiction to account for a significant number of patients seeking treatment and help in the future.

Ivan Celic of the Zagreb Vrapce Psychiatric Hospital said “the addiction epidemic crosses with the Covid-19 epidemic.”

Up to 25% more hospitalisation requests due to stimulant abuse after spring lockdown

Celic said the Covid epidemic brought specific patterns of addictive behaviour. The spring lockdown, he said, saw an increase in the consumption of marijuana, alcohol, sedatives and opiates, while the relaxation of the restrictions saw an increase in the use of stimulants, which resulted in an increase in hospitalisation requests.

Consequently, the Vrapce hospital recorded in August, September and October a 20-25% increase in the number of hospitalisations due to stimulant abuse, he said.

Mirjana Orban of the Dr Andrija Stampar Teaching Institute of Public Health said that at no point since the start of the pandemic had addicts remained without healthcare and that online help tools were developed during the spring lockdown.

The round table was organised by the Vrapce Hospital and the Zagreb City Office for Health on the occasion of the Fighting Addiction Month.