In 2024, more than 6 million boxes of popular anxiety medications containing alprazolam and bromazepam were consumed in Greece.
This figure is part of a wider trend: 28 million packages of psychiatric medications were prescribed in total last year, spanning antidepressants, sedatives, antipsychotics, and more. It reflects a society under immense psychological strain, where 1 in 6 people are estimated to be experiencing mental health challenges, or at least believe they are.
A Nation Turning to Pills
Adults of all ages in Greece are increasingly relying on medication to find relief from anxiety, sleep disorders, and emotional unrest. While rising rates of mental illness are not unique to Greece — much of the Western world faces similar trends — what sets the country apart is the volume and ease with which these drugs are consumed, often without medical supervision.
According to data from the Greek Ministry of Health, 1.6 million people received prescriptions for psychiatric drugs in 2024, with the national health insurance provider (EOPYY) covering around €190 million in costs — nearly 10% of its total pharmaceutical budget.
However, industry data tells an even more dramatic story: pharmaceutical market analytics firm IQVIA estimates that 33.2 million boxes of psychiatric drugs were sold in 2024, valued at €233 million. This suggests that a significant portion of medications were purchased without prescriptions, particularly because many of these drugs are low-cost and readily accessible.
Easy Access Fuels Overuse
Despite calls from psychiatric experts and medical associations to ban over-the-counter sales of psychiatric drugs, many Greeks continue to self-medicate. Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis has acknowledged that this practice is “tolerated,” allowing patients to avoid the cost of a doctor’s visit — and saving the government reimbursement costs.
While this may ease short-term access for patients, mental health professionals warn it contributes to misuse, dependency, and untreated underlying issues.
Urban Stress, Social Shifts, and a New Psychological Landscape
The country’s increasing psychological burden is not solely medical. According to Professor Konstantinos Fountoulakis, psychiatrist and vice president of the Hellenic Psychiatric Association, a range of social changes, from urbanization and shrinking family structures to rising social isolation, are reshaping the Greek psyche.
“In traditional rural settings, large extended families created a protective social network,” says Fountoulakis. “Today, small nuclear families in urban areas are isolated, overworked, and raising children who mature more slowly and face greater emotional struggles.”
He also highlights how prolonged exposure to social media, high unemployment, and the increasing normalization of substances like cannabis are contributing to growing rates of anxiety, mild depression, and psychosis.
Fountoulakis warns that unless Greece addresses both the social roots of its mental health crisis and the regulatory gaps in pharmaceutical distribution, the country risks becoming even more reliant on pharmacological “quick fixes” instead of sustainable care.
