Pandemia increases the number of patients in Psychiatric Clinic

This number, according to the management of this clinic, is markedly higher compared to last year, totaling 64 patients.

Vjollca Ramiqi, psychiatrist at the Psychiatry Clinic at the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo (QKUK), told Radio Free Europe that most patients who have sought treatment in this clinic have been addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Of 89 patients, 26 of them have been dependent on heroin, 11 depending on marijuana, 25 other patients depending on numerous psychoactive substances, as well as 14 on alcohol addiction and 3 depending on the use of sedation.

Ramiqi said the number of patients who have sought treatment has been greater since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID-19 has influenced the spread of basic illness for the sick or users of psycho-active substances. The number of patients who seek assistance in an ambulance is in most cases for patients who have problems managing anxiety and depression”, Ramiqi said.

The biggest concern is the young age of patients, who, according to the Psychatric Clinic, are 18 years old and older, but there are times when even 15 and 16 people have sought treatment.

Ramiqi said preventive measures should be taken, especially in school programmes involving information and the consequences of drug use, as well as in the media as many public and information programmes as possible for responsible experts. Even psychologist Yll Avdiaj estimates that Kosovo police should take even more measures in prevention and do more frequent checks in high and elementary schools. Increasing demand for psychotherapotic treatment, according to psychologist Yll Avdijaj, has occurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, as compared with 2019 and 2020, demand for treatment has increased after pandemic has caused anxiety and depression in the population.

Avdij said that addiction to narcotic substances affects conflicts or problems that cut people off in everyday life, and the inability to deal with those problems can push them toward these phenomena.

“Normically that pandemic has caused some sort of general anxiety, not just in Kosovo, so this has been a kind of mechanism perhaps for these people to calm themselves or try to overcome this fear or difficulties they are going through. Pandemia is just one factor that has managed to spread these problems, which people have probably had before”, Avdiaj told Radio Free Europe. Kosovo cocaine users rise

Medico-psikoerapeutic Centre Director “Labyrint”, Safet Blakaj told Radio Free Europe that in addition to the use of marijuana, which is spread throughout Kosovo, there is a rapid increase of cocaine users.

Not only here in the capital (Pristina), but it is beginning to extend only large centres in small places. In the last year, we have seen cases that come and are 18-23 and that is very disturbing”, Blakaj said.

Blakaj said it is not only the pandemic, which has affected the rise in the number of drug users. According to him, growth has been trending ahead of pandemic and has continued to grow much faster now.

There is no kind of national preemptive programme here in Kosovo, and this makes the situation even worse. It should be reacted to this phenomenon in preparing preventative programmes, especially for young people”, Blakaj said.

In Kosovo, about 30,000 active drug users are considered. According to data from the Mediko-Psycotoerapeusetic Centre “Labyrint”, minors (under 18 years of age), including students in schools, are the most endangered group of narcotic substances.